We report an unusual event of repetitive tongue protrusion in a fetus which persisted during the sonographic evaluation of the pregnancy. A 31-year-old patient, G2P1, had a normal obstetrical follow-up with a normal first trimester biochemical screening and a normal first and second trimester ultrasound. At 31 weeks, the routine ultrasound follow-up showed a noticeable protrusion of the tongue occurring at intervals of about 5–10 s and lasting for about 3 s (Fig. 1). No oropharyngeal mass was observed, and the tongue reintegrated the buccal cavity in the interval between the episodes of protrusion. The central nervous system was also reviewed and revealed no abnormalities. The patient was followed-up at 2-week interval which showed the persistence of the protrusion and no abnormalities, with a normal biometry and amniotic fluid. She had an uneventful delivery at 39 weeks and gave birth to a 3100 g baby boy. Clinical examination by the pediatrician and by the head and neck pediatric referent did not show any mass at the oropharyngeal level, primarily no macroglossia, aside from the persistence of the rhythmic protrusion of the tongue. Neurological examination failed to show any abnormality. The pattern persisted for 3 months following the delivery, and then decreased. At the 1-year follow-up, the clinical neurological examination of the baby showed normal development. This report highlights the benign nature of these findings; thorough evaluation of the oropharynx and the delivery in specialized centers remain as a requisite in such cases. The parents’ consent was procured regarding the use of ultrasound and clinical images for medical purposes. The study has been approved and registered by our institution’s review board under the number CE-HDF-1008.
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