Ultrasound study of the nose and upper lip before birth.

A review of 2,000 patient scans was utilized in the evaluation of the development of the nose and lips. The results of this study clearly demonstrate that it is possible to identify easily and reliably the anatomical nose, nostrils, and upper lip from 15 weeks' gestation onward. It is also possible to show the nose and lips at 11 weeks. However, this is much more difficult owing to the relatively disproportionate size of transducer and fetus at that point of gestation. The utility of the technique of facial ultrasound is related to the detection of cleft lip and cleft palate as previously reported.