title: Meckel syndrome and the prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects.
abstract: Two fetuses, terminated after prenatal diagnosis of aneural tube defect, had Meckel syndrome. There have now been three fetuses with this syndrome in a series of 35 terminated because of open lesions of the neural tube. It is suggested that such therapeutically aborted fetuses represent a highly selected group, among which a rare condition like Meckel syndrome will be concentrated. The need for a detailed examination of all terminated fetuses is emphasised, for the identification of such an autosomal recessive condition alters the genetic counselling for a future pregnancy.
mesh_terms: D000015:Abnormalities, Multiple / Q000175:diagnosis; D000649:Amniocentesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000473:pathology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D013577:Syndrome