title: Developmental outcome of isolated fetal microcephaly.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the neurodevelopmental outcome of children with prenatally diagnosed isolated microcephaly defined as head circumference more than 2 SD below the gestational mean.
  
  
  METHODS
  Children aged 2-6 years who had been diagnosed in utero as having head circumference measurements more than 2 SD below the gestational mean were compared with normocephalic children, utilizing a standard neuropsychological battery. Comparisons were also made within the study group.
  
  
  RESULTS
  HCs were between -2 and -4.8 SD, only one fetus having a HC below -3 SD. Children with a prenatal head circumference between 2 SD and 3 SD below the gestational mean did not differ significantly from the control group regarding cognitive, language and motor functioning. However, they exhibited more behavioral-emotional problems. There were no significant differences between children who had suffered from intrauterine growth restriction and those who had not, or between those with familial and those with non-familial microcephaly. Nevertheless, linear regression analysis showed that head circumference in utero helps predict cognitive functioning later in life.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Prenatally diagnosed head circumference between 2 SD and 3 SD below the gestational mean is not a risk factor for later abnormal neuropsychological development.
authors.affiliation: Department of Behavioral Sciences, Academic College of Tel Aviv, Tel Aviv, Israel.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stoler-Poria
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Lev
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schweiger
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Lerman-Sagie
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Malinger
mesh_terms: D002508:Cephalometry / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D002657:Child Development; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007360:Intelligence / Q000502:physiology*; D008297:Male; D008831:Microcephaly / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000523:psychology*; D009483:Neuropsychological Tests; D011247:Pregnancy; D011379:Prognosis; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal