Acardiac fetus in a triplet pregnancy

Abstract

The acardiac monster represents one of the most severe but rare congenital anomalies. It occurs only in multiple gestations associated with vascular anastomoses between the affected fetus and its co-twin. The prenatal diagnosis of an acardiac fetus must be suspected in any multiple gestation in which cardiac activity cannot be documented sonographically in a growing fetus. We report an acardiac fetus occurring in a spontaneously conceived triplet pregnancy. A review of the literature, including pathogenetic theories and sonographic reports, is discussed.