Association between fetal echogenic and/or dilated bowel and adverse perinatal outcomes.

Echogenic bowel in isolation carries a low risk for structural bowel anomalies that require surgery. Dilated bowel represents an increased risk for intestinal obstruction. Combination of two sonographic features, echogenicity and dilatation of the intestine should be considered as a suspicion sign of a genetic syndrome which may alter bowel function but not necessary requiring a surgery.