Prenatal diagnosis and elective termination of neural tube defects in Hawaii, 1986-1997.
OBJECTIVE
To determine the influence of various factors on the prenatal diagnosis and elective termination of neural tube defects (NTDs) in Hawaii in 1986-1997.


METHODS
Data from a birth defects registry were analyzed and included 245 cases.


RESULTS
74% of the cases were prenatally diagnosed and 48% were terminated. Anencephaly was more likely to be prenatally diagnosed and electively terminated than spina bifida or encephalocele. Other factors such as maternal age, race/ethnicity, place of residence, and elevated maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein influenced the prenatal diagnosis and/or elective termination of NTD-affected pregnancies. However, a given factor may influence prenatal diagnosis and elective termination in different ways.


CONCLUSIONS
Various diagnostic and demographic factors can influence the prenatal diagnosis and the subsequent termination of NTD-affected pregnancies.
Forrester
M B
MB
Hawaii Birth Defects Program, Honolulu, Hawaii 96817-3533, USA.
Merz
R D
RD
D000028:Abortion, Induced; D000328:Adult; D000757:Anencephaly / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D004677:Encephalocele / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D005315:Fetal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D006254:Hawaii / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D008423:Maternal Age; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000453:epidemiology; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D044469:Racial Groups; D012042:Registries; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins / Q000032:analysis
D000509:alpha-Fetoproteins