Turner's syndrome and pregnancy

After briefly summarizing Turner's syndrome, the authors reviewed several cases reported in the literature where pregnancy occurred in association with this syndrome. From this study it was revealed that pregnancy is exceptional in the course of Turner's syndrome since only 2 p. cent of women with this disorder conceive. Such an outcome may be explained by a reduced number of ovarian follicles. The poor prognosis when pregnancy does occur is represented by a 38 p. cent incidence of miscarriage, and an 18.4 p. cent rate of fetal malformations including a 6 p. cent rate of trisomy 21 (Down's syndrome). This finding requires that the patient be taken care of in a specialized department of obstetrics-gynecology, necessitates prenatal diagnosis and poses an ethical problem as to the obstetrical future of these patients.