Which term describes abnormally large tongue and is associated with fetal conditions?

Which term describes abnormally large tongue and is associated with fetal conditions?

• A. Macroglossia
• B. Hypotelorism
• C. Proboscis
• D. Nuchal thickness

Answer: (A)

Abnormally large tongue is macroglossia. In fetal imaging, macroglossia can be a clue to certain congenital conditions, most notably Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, where an enlarged tongue often occurs alongside other findings like macrosomia and organomegaly. An enlarged tongue can also contribute to polyhydramnios because it may interfere with normal fetal swallowing, and you may see tongue protrusion on ultrasound as the pregnancy progresses. The other terms describe different fetal features: hypotelorism refers to unusually close-set eyes, a proboscis is a tubular nasal structure abnormality, and increased nuchal thickness describes a thickened neck region. None of those indicate tongue size, so macroglossia is the correct descriptor.

Abnormally large tongue is macroglossia. In fetal imaging, macroglossia can be a clue to certain congenital conditions, most notably Beckwith-Wiedemann syndrome, where an enlarged tongue often occurs alongside other findings like macrosomia and organomegaly. An enlarged tongue can also contribute to polyhydramnios because it may interfere with normal fetal swallowing, and you may see tongue protrusion on ultrasound as the pregnancy progresses. The other terms describe different fetal features: hypotelorism refers to unusually close-set eyes, a proboscis is a tubular nasal structure abnormality, and increased nuchal thickness describes a thickened neck region. None of those indicate tongue size, so macroglossia is the correct descriptor.