Open Neural Tube Defects: A Case Presentation of 30-year-old Secundigravida with Spina Bifida of the Fetus

Abstract

Spina bifida is a neural tube defect that occurs in about 1 in 1,500 pregnancies. Open spinal defects are associated with paralysis, incontinence and hydrocephalus requiring postnatal shunting of the cerebrospinal fluid. Neural tube defects are preventable through preconceptional folic acid supplementation. Occasionally, the diagnosis is made during routine anomaly scan at 18-20 weeks of gestation, as the earliest signs of the anomaly can be seen at the end of first trimester. The information provided by ultrasound plays a crucial role in patient counseling and pregnancy management. The authors report a case of prenatal diagnosis of spina bifida aperta with focus on detailed ultrasound presentation and difficulties in consulting in relation to the prognosis for the newborns.