[Occurrence of cleft defects of the central nervous system in the Czech Republic 1961-1999. Incidence, prenatal diagnosis and prevalence based on maternal age].
OBJECTIVE
Presentation of the incidence of neural tube defects (anencephaly, spina bifida, encephalocele) in the Czech Republic in 1961 to 1999. Analysis of the prevalence of these defects in different groups by maternal age.


METHODS
Retrospective demographic-epidemiological study.


METHODS
Epidemiological analysis of the incidence of neural tube defects diagnosed prenatally and postnatally in the Czech Republic in 1961-1999. Mathematical and statistical analysis of these defects by maternal age, the method of 95% confidence probability interval was used. Data from the nationwide register of inborn defects were used assembled in the Institute of Health Information and Statistics of the Czech Republic and data on the prenatal diagnosis from different departments of medical genetics.


RESULTS
In the Czech Republic in 1961-1999 4629 cases of neural tube defects were recorded. This number comprised 1812 cases of anencephaly, 2420 cases of spina bifida and 397 cases of encephalocele. Of this total number of notified defects 386 cases of anencephaly were diagnosed prenatally and pregnancy was terminated. In spina bifida thus 261 pregnancies were terminated prematurely, in encephalocele 67 cases.


CONCLUSIONS
A significant reduction of the incidence of anencephaly, spina bifida and encephalocele in the Czech Republic was found during the last decade of the investigation period (1961-1999). This decline is most probably due to advances of primary and secondary prevention. When evaluating maternal age as one of the risk factors for the development of neural tube defects, this risk was neither unequivocally confirmed nor ruled out.
Sípek
A
A
Ustav pro péci o matku a dítĕ, Praha-Podolí.
Horácek
J
J
Gregor
V
V
Rychtaríková
J
J
Dzúrová
D
D
Masátová
D
D
D000025:Abortion, Eugenic; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000757:Anencephaly / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D018153:Czech Republic / Q000453:epidemiology; D004677:Encephalocele / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015994:Incidence; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008423:Maternal Age; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011296:Prenatal Diagnosis; D015995:Prevalence; D016135:Spinal Dysraphism / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology