The prognostic role of CRL discordance in first trimester ultrasound

Abstract

Abstract Objectives In the first trimester, intertwin crown-rump length (CRL) discordance has emerged as a notable factor linked to adverse perinatal health effects. It is frequently employed as a basis for counseling parents regarding potential adverse pregnancy outcomes. Despite its established association with adverse outcomes, the significance of CRL discordance in substantially predicting pregnancy problems and its efficacy in pregnancy screening remain subjects of ongoing discussion. The aim of this manuscript is to present current knowledge on CRL discordance. Methods PubMed was searched for related articles with terms “Crown-Rump length”, “Prenatal Screening”, “Twin pregnancy”, “Discordance”. Results Twenty-two studies were included in our study with six reporting data on monochorionic and 16 assessing the correlation between CRL discordance and adverse pregnancy outcomes. Fetal loss at the 20th and 24th week of the pregnancy, SGA neonates, pre-term delivery (32 weeks), perinatal death (24 weeks) are all reported adverse outcomes associated with CRL discordance. The reported cut-off for increased risk of adverse perinatal outcomes is a discordance of at least 10% or more. Conclusions Increased CRL (>10 %) discordance is linked to a higher risk of sFGR in both monochorionic and dichorionic pregnancies, fetal loss, and preterm delivery.