Obesity and the challenges of ultrasound fetal abnormality diagnosis

• Ultrasound is essential for assessing congenital anomalies and fetal well-being.
• Maternal obesity affects ultrasound examination completion rates and visualization.
• Several ultrasound techniques can be used to improve visualization in obese women.
• Understanding the challenges and techniques ensures optimal care of obese patients.

Prenatal ultrasound has become an essential clinical tool for aneuploidy screening, detection of fetal congenital anomalies, and assessment of fetal growth and well-being. Maternal obesity, an increasing global problem, has been shown to decrease the accuracy of ultrasound examination in high-risk pregnancy. The purpose of this review is to provide an evidenced-based perspective on the challenges of performing fetal ultrasound in obese women and to provide a practical guide on how to care for these patients in the ultrasound suite.