Absence of stomach bubble on fetal sonography

What it means

By the 14th week of gestation it is nearly always possible to visualized the fluid-filled fetal stomach bubble on prenatal sonography. This term refers to the absence of a normal fetal stomach bubble on fetal ultrasonography performed at around 16 to 20 weeks' gestation.

The absence of stomach bubble on fetal sonography can be an indication of malformations such as esophageal atresia, especially in combination with polyhydramnios.

Rare diseases that can present with this1

The range is how often this sign appears among people diagnosed with each disease — it is not a probability of having any of them. Many of these signs also occur in common, non-rare conditions. A sign on this page is a conversation to have with a clinician, not a conclusion.

Part of the broader category

Also called: Absence of stomach bubble on foetal sonography · Absent stomach bubble · Non-visualisation of the fetal stomach · Non-visualisation of the foetal stomach