Duplication (5p13 leads to pter): prenatal diagnosis and review of the literature.

We describe a patient with a reciprocal translocation t(5,13) and her three offspring. The chromosome anomaly was ascertained after the birth of her first child, who had the cri-du-chat syndrome. Amniocentesis demonstrated the presence of a dup(5p). The anomalies affecting that fetus are described and compared with the reported phenotypes of dup(5p). The extent of clinical findings in the reported cases depends on the length of the duplicated portion. The larger the duplication (p11 leads to pter), the more pronounced are the clinical signs. Physical signs are nearly absent when 5p14 leads to ter is involved. Also, translocations affecting chromosome 5 have an increased abnormal outcome when compared to D/D Robertsonian translocations. This is the first instance of antenatal diagnosis of trisomy 5p.