Sombere prognose bij kinderen met prenataal echoscopisch vastgestelde afwijkingen van het centrale zenuwstelsel

OBJECTIVE: Long-term follow-up of children with a prenatally diagnosed malformation of the central nervous system. DESIGN: Descriptive study. SETTING: Department of prenatal diagnosis, Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands. METHODS: Evaluation of all documented ultrasound examinations between 1985 and 1990 (6 years). These ultrasound examinations were performed in women with an increased risk for a foetal malformation, because of obstetrical complications or when a foetal malformation was suspected on ultrasound examination performed elsewhere. Paediatricians and general practitioners were asked to provide follow-up data on the children who were still alive. RESULTS: Seven out of 67 foetuses with a prenatally diagnosed malformation of the central nervous system lived longer than one month. Two out of these 7 children developed normally, one child died after several years and four children were severely retarded. The two children who developed normally both had mild hydrocephaly. CONCLUSION: Prognosis of children with a prenatally diagnosed malformation of the central nervous system is poor. Children with mild hydrocephaly may have a better prognosis