title: Characteristics of fetuses evaluated due to suspected anencephaly: a population-based cohort study in southern Brazil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anencephaly is considered to be the most common type of neural tube defect. Our aim was to assess the clinical and gestational features of a cohort of fetuses with suspected anencephaly.
  
  
  METHODS
  Population-based retrospective cohort study in a referral hospital in southern Brazil.
  
  
  METHODS
  The sample consisted of fetuses referred due to suspected anencephaly, to the Fetal Medicine Service of Hospital Materno Infantil Presidente Vargas, between January 2005 and September 2013. Clinical, radiological, pathological and survival data were gathered.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Our sample was composed of 29 fetuses. The diagnosis of suspected anencephaly was made on average at 21.3 weeks of gestation. Seven fetuses had malformations that affected other organs, and these included oral clefts (n = 4) and congenital heart defects (n = 2). In 16 cases, there was termination of pregnancy (n = 12) or intrauterine death (n = 4). Regarding those who were born alive (n = 13), all of them died in the first week of life. After postnatal evaluation, the diagnosis of anencephaly was confirmed in 22 cases (75.9%). Other conditions included amniotic band disruption complex (6.9%), microhydranencephaly (6.9%), merocrania (3.4%) and holoprosencephaly (3.4%).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Different conditions involving the cranial vault may be confused with anencephaly, as seen in our sample. However, these conditions also seem to have a poor prognosis. It seems that folic acid supplementation is not being properly performed.
authors: Hospital Materno Infantil Presidente Vargas, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors: Emanuele
authors: E
authors: Pelizzari
authors: Hospital Materno Infantil Presidente Vargas, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors: Carolina Melendez
authors: CM
authors: Valdez
authors: Hospital Materno Infantil Presidente Vargas, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors: Jamile dos Santos
authors: Jdos S
authors: Picetti
authors: Hospital Materno Infantil Presidente Vargas, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors: André Campos da
authors: AC
authors: Cunha
authors: Hospital Materno Infantil Presidente Vargas, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors: Cristine
authors: C
authors: Dietrich
authors: Hospital Materno Infantil Presidente Vargas, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors: Paulo Renato Krahl
authors: PR
authors: Fell
authors: Hospital Materno Infantil Presidente Vargas, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors: Luciano Vieira
authors: LV
authors: Targa
authors: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors: Paulo Ricardo Gazzola
authors: PR
authors: Zen
authors: Universidade Federal de Ciências da Saúde de Porto Alegre, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brasil.
authors: Rafael Fabiano Machado
authors: RF
authors: Rosa
mesh_terms: D000029:Abortion, Legal / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000757:Anencephaly / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D001938:Brazil / Q000453:epidemiology; D015331:Cohort Studies; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000209:etiology; D005333:Fetus / Q000002:abnormalities*; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency; D005865:Gestational Age; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D008297:Male; D008423:Maternal Age; D008499:Medical Records; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000453:epidemiology; D066087:Perinatal Death; D011247:Pregnancy; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D016216:Ultrasonography, Prenatal; D055815:Young Adult