CM. Communicating Fetal Conditions

There is a wide range of potential fetal conditions which could be identified via obstetric ultrasound. However, the following principles apply to all findings:

• Sonographers should not try to diagnose beyond the information that is available at the time. Instead, findings should be stated honestly and the need for a referral should be outlined. Offering guesses or percentages should be avoided.
• The finding of a condition should not entirely dominate the scan. For example, if the baby’s gender would normally be identified at this scan, this should still be done, should parents wish.