Objective To assess the effect of maternal sildenafil therapy on fetal growth in pregnancies with early-onset fetal growth restriction.Design A randomised placebo-controlled trial.Setting Thirteen maternal-fetal medicine units across New Zealand and Australia.Population Women with singleton pregnancies affected by fetal growth restriction at 22 +0 to 29 +6 weeks.Methods Women were randomised to oral administration of 25 mg sildenafil citrate or visually matching placebo three times daily until 32 +0 weeks, birth or fetal death (whichever occurred first). Main Outcome MeasuresThe primary outcome was the proportion of pregnancies with an increase in fetal growth velocity. Secondary outcomes included live birth, survival to hospital discharge free of major neonatal morbidity and pre-eclampsia.Results Sildenafil did not affect the proportion of pregnancies with an increase in fetal growth velocity; 32/61 (52.5%) sildenafil-treated, 39/57 (68.4%) placebo-treated [adjusted odds ratio (OR) 0.49, 95% CI 0.23-1.05] and had no effect on abdominal circumference Z-scores (P = 0.61). Sildenafil use was associated with a lower mean uterine artery pulsatility index after 48 hours of treatment (1.56 versus 1.81; P = 0.02). The live birth rate was 56/63 (88.9%) for sildenafil-treated and 47/59 (79.7%) for placebo-treated (adjusted OR 2.50, 95% CI 0.80-7.79); survival to hospital discharge free of major neonatal morbidity was 42/63 (66.7%) for sildenafil-treated and 33/59 (55.9%) for placebo-treated (adjusted OR 1.93, 95% CI 0.84-4.45); and newonset pre-eclampsia was 9/51 (17.7%) for sildenafil-treated and 14/55 (25.5%) for placebo-treated (OR 0.67, 95% CI 0.26-1.75).Conclusions Maternal sildenafil use had no effect on fetal growth velocity. Prospectively planned meta-analyses will determine whether sildenafil exerts other effects on maternal and fetal/neonatal wellbeing.Keywords Fetal growth restriction, intrauterine growth restriction, pre-eclampsia, sildenafil, small for gestational age, uterine artery Doppler.Tweetable abstract Maternal sildenafil use has no beneficial effect on growth in early-onset FGR, but also no evidence of harm.

The current series contributes to our knowledge of fetal megacystis and helps to inform antenatal counselling. Improved prognostic criteria are urgently required to accurately differentiate between fetuses with favourable versus poor outcomes.

Background: Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH) is a simple diaphragmatic defect that is seen frequently in antenatal scans. Though the surgical repair is relatively easy in the neonate, the mortality is high due to pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary vascular changes. Materials and Methods: The goals of prenatal imaging are to establish the diagnosis. Assessment in a tertiary scanning center would identify prognostic factors which assist in counselling and planning antenatal management. However, the pulmonary hypoplasia associated with the CDH in moderate and severe cases makes the prognosis poor. Conclusions: Fetal intervention such as, fetal tracheal occlusion, is being trialled and may change the outcomes in the future.

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