OBJECTIVE: To investigate perinatal outcomes of fetal echogenic bowel (FEB).
METHOD: This is a retrospective observational study of FEB cases from Jan 
2005-Dec 2010. Data from ultrasound and fetal medicine investigations, uterine 
artery Doppler (UAD), intra-partum care and neonatal outcome were obtained from 
Fetal Medicine, Obstetric and Neonatal Databases.
RESULTS: There were 139 cases presenting at 21(+5) (15(+1) -35(+5) ) weeks 
gestation. Overall, 106/139 (76.2%) were live born (LB), 8/139 (5.8%) were 
complicated by intra-uterine deaths (IUD), 11/139 (7.9%) had termination of 
pregnancy (TOP) and 14/139 (10.1%) were lost to follow-up after 28 weeks 
gestation. Six had chromosomal/genetic abnormalities, two had congenital 
cytomegalovirus, none had cystic fibrosis.Uterine artery Doppler was normal in 
106/130 (81.5%) cases. In this group, there were no cases of fetal growth 
restriction (FGR), 95/106 (89.6%) were LB, 1/106 (0.94%) had an IUD. In the 
abnormal UAD group, 17/24 (70.1%) developed FGR, 11/24 (45.8%) were LB, 4/24 
(16.7%) had TOP, 7/24 (29.2%) had IUD.In total, 20/106 (18.9%) live births were 
admitted for specialist neonatal care, 12/20 (60%) for prematurity. Only one had 
primary bowel pathology.
CONCLUSION: Pregnancies with FEB and screen positive UAD are at risk of adverse 
perinatal outcome. Primary bowel pathology is rare following the finding of FEB.