Lethal Congenital Contracture Syndrome

The lethal congenital contracture syndrome (LCCS, Herva disease) is an autosomal recessive syndrome that causes prenatal death of affected fetuses before the 32nd gestational week. Prenatal diagnosis is based on fetal akinesia, which is detectable in ultrasonography after the 14th gestational week. The akinesia develops due to degenaration of anterior horn motor neurons, which leads to multiple contractures of the joints. The other key features are slow growth, hydrops in early pregnancy and dysmorphic features.