Prenatal diagnosis policy without routine amniocentesis in pregnancies with a positive family history for neural tube defects

Abstract

The recurrence risk for neural tube detects in pregnancies of women with a family history of neural tube defects greatly exceeds the general population risk. In these high risk pregnancies, we used a prenatal diagnostic method differing from thai usually employed, relying mainly on the results of maternal serum alpha‐fetopro‐tcin (MSAFP) and ultrasound examination, without routine aminocentcsis. During the b years reviewed in this study, this method was applied in 539 pregnancies Of a total of 20 neural tube defects, 19 were detected using this combination oi MSAFP, ultrasound, and selective amnioccntcsis, and the authors estimate tha about 8–10 spontaneous abortions were avoided because only 28 amnioccntese; were carried out instead of 539. The risk of recurrence was found to be lowei than that experienced earlier.