Q: I am a 29 years old woman and 19 weeks pregnant. I had an anatomy ultrasound and everything looked normal except the stomach was enlarged / prominent. The doctor said it did not empty during the entire scan and wants to recheck the ultrasound in 1 week. She said it could be obstruction or abnormality. AFP and first trimester screen was normal. What could this mean? Am I at risk for miscarriage or stillbirth? Please advise.

A:Persistent distension of the fetal stomach without any other finding on the ultrasound such as increased fluid in the water bag or distension of the fetal small intestine is almost always a normal finding. A review scan in a week’s time will confirm this, as this is invariably transient. This is no cause for alarm or worry and no treatment is required. This does not predispose to a miscarriage or a stillbirth.