Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Volume 47, Issue 3 , Pages 283-290, September 2008

Prenatal Diagnosis, Fetal Surgery, Recurrence Risk and Differential Diagnosis of Neural Tube Defects

  • Chih-Ping Chen

      Affiliations

    • Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Taipei
    • Medical Research, Mackay Memorial Hospital, Taipei
    • Department of Biotechnology, Asia University, Taichung
    • School of Chinese Medicine, College of Chinese Medicine, China Medical University, Taichung
    • Institute of Clinical and Community Health Nursing, National Yang-Ming University, Taipei, Taiwan
    • Corresponding Author InformationCorrespondence to: Dr Chih-Ping Chen, Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Mackay Memorial Hospital, 92, Section 2, Chung-Shan North Road, Taipei, Taiwan

Accepted 26 June 2008.

Article Outline

Summary 

Prenatal screening with α-fetoprotein (AFP) and ultrasonography have allowed the prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects (NTDs) in current obstetric care, and open spina bifida has been considered a potential candidate for in utero treatment in modern pediatric surgery. This article provides an overview of maternal serum AFP screening, amniotic fluid AFP assays, amniotic fluid acetylcholinesterase immunoassays and level II ultrasound for NTDs, prenatal repair of fetal myelomeningocele, recurrence risk of NTDs, and differential diagnosis of NTDs on prenatal ultrasound.

Key Words:  acetylcholinesterase , α-fetoprotein , differential diagnosis , neural tube defects , prenatal diagnosis , recurrence risk , ultrasound

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PII: S1028-4559(08)60125-4

doi:10.1016/S1028-4559(08)60125-4

Taiwanese Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Volume 47, Issue 3 , Pages 283-290, September 2008

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