Abstract
Background Neural tube defects (NTD), which include spina bifida, anencephaly, and encephalocoele, are an important group of severe birth defects whose prevalence has fallen significantly in past few decades in many countries. Northern Ireland (NI) is known to have the highest prevalence of neural tube defects (NTD) in Europe. The prevalence rate of 60 and 40 per 10,000 births was reported in 1970's and 1980's, respectively. However no NI data has been published since then to assess the trend of decline in NTD prevalence as noted in other previously high prevalent regions of UK and Ireland. The aims of the study were (1) To describe the current epidemiology of NTD in Northern Ireland (2) To assess the impact of prenatal diagnosis on the birth prevalence of spina bifida and anencephaly (3) To compare the current prevalence, antenatal diagnosis and termination trend with previously published reports from the province (3) To compare the current NI data with rest of UK and Europe for the same period.
Highlights
Neural tube defects (NTD), which include spina bifida, anencephaly, and encephalocoele, are an important group of severe birth defects whose prevalence has fallen significantly in past few decades in many countries
Total prevalence rate of 10.24 and birth prevalence rate of 4.66 per 10,000 births was noted for NTD in Northern Ireland
Eighty four percent cases of neural tube defects were diagnosed antenatally leading to termination of pregnancy in 30% and 83% cases of spina bifida and anencephaly respectively
Summary
Address: Clinical Genetics Department, Belfast City Hospital, Lisburn Road, Belfast, BT9 7AB, UK. 53rd Annual Meeting of the Society for Research into Hydrocephalus and Spina Bifida Meeting abstracts - A single PDF containing all abstracts in this Supplement is available here.
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