To assess the clinic value of craniofacial five-view method in the screening of craniofacial malformation in fetuses at 11-13⁺⁶ weeks of gestation.

A retrospective study was performed on 9183 pregnant women who underwent ultrasound examination during early pregnancy at Sichuan Maternal and Child Health Hospital from January 2020 to January 2021. All pregnant women underwent ultrasound examination at 11~13⁺⁶ weeks of gestation. The craniofacial five-view method was used to screen fetal craniofacial malformations. All neonates and induced fetuses were followed after delivery.

Satisfactory craniofacial five-view images were obtained in 9183 pregnant women. A total of 52 congenital craniofacial malformations were found, of which 42 congenital craniofacial malformations were found at 11-13⁺⁶ weeks of gestation (80.7%, 42/52), including 15 cases of anencephaly (9 cases of rhinoceros, 4 cases of cyclops), 5 cases of cleft lip and palate deformity, 12 cases of exposed brain malformation, 4 cases of anencephaly, 3 cases of meningocele, and 3 cases of open spina bifida. Craniofacial malformations were confirmed by autopsy or clinical follow-up in 42 cases. Ten cases were not detected in the early pregnancy, but detected by ultrasound in the middle of pregnancy, including 2 cases of microphthalmia, 3 cases of microtia, 3 cases of simple cleft lip deformity, 1 case of facial cleft deformity, and 1 case of partial alar defect.

The fetal craniofacial five-view method at the first trimester can more comprehensively evaluate the fetal skull, brain, and face, and is a good method for screening fetal craniofacial malformations in early pregnancy.