Wolf-Hirschhorn syndrome diagnosed in a precious IVF pregnancy: Ethical and therapeutic dilemma from an obstetrician's perspective

Abstract

Wolf-Hirschhorn Syndrome (WHS) is a very rare chromosomal anomaly resulting in early onset severe fetal growth restrictions, micrognathia, cleft lip, cleft palate and intellectual delay. Diagnosis of such a non-lethal syndrome does not mandate medical termination of pregnancy (MTP), especially in a precious IVF pregnancy. However, strong couple desire for MTP cannot be denied considering the lifelong morbidity of the resultant baby. So, the diagnostic and therapeutic dilemmas pose a challenge to obstetrical fraternity when WHS is discovered at 18 weeks gestation in a pregnancy resulting from donor gamete in vitro fertilization conception. Finally, after a long discussion and counselling, parents insisted to go for medical termination of pregnancy.