Outcome of Fetal Spina Bifida
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ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT01100697 |
Recruitment Status
:
Completed
First Posted
: April 9, 2010
Last Update Posted
: March 14, 2017
|
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Neural tube defects are one of the most prevalent congenital abnormalities, surpassed only by cardiac malformations. Spina bifida accounts for the majority of the neural tube defects and is comprised of a wide spectrum of anomalies ranging from small isolated sacral dysraphisms to large spinal defects. The origin of spina bifida is a failure of neurulation. It usually occurs at 15 days post-conception, resulting in a bony spinal defect with extrusion of the neural placode and/or the meninges outside of the spinal canal. Spina bifida has a prevalence of 1-5 in 1,000 live births and is the most complex congenital abnormality compatible to long-time survival. Concerning psychomotor development as well as urinary bladder and intestinal morbidity the prognosis ranges from normal functional outcome to severe disability.
The diagnosis of serious fetal abnormalities such as spinal dysraphism by ultrasound screening allows patients to prepare for the birth of an impaired child or to consider termination of the pregnancy. In current practice, prenatal counseling and obstetric management depend not only on the detection of a spinal dysraphism but also on an appropriate assessment of the severity of the defect and its possible impact on the postnatal development of the affected child.
Level and type of lesion, presence of associated anomalies (e.g., Chiari II malformation and ventriculomegaly) and mode of surgical closure are factors known to have prognostic impact on the postnatal outcome. Previous studies reported that postnatally determined lesion levels correlated well with functional status and survival. On the contrary, it is still not clear whether similar data obtained antenatally are of value.
In this study, the investigators will review their database of all cases of prenatally diagnosed spina bifida within a 16 year period between 1993 and 2009. By analyzing the prenatal and postnatal characteristics of fetuses with spina bifida in relation to the anatomic level of the lesion, the investigators aim to contribute further information regarding the natural course of affected pregnancies and the correlation of prenatal ultrasound findings with their functional outcome.
Condition or disease |
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Pregnancy Fetal and Neonatal Health |
Study Type : | Observational |
Actual Enrollment : | 103 participants |
Observational Model: | Cohort |
Time Perspective: | Retrospective |
Official Title: | Fetal Spina Bifida -Prenatal Course and Outcome in 103 Cases A Single Center Experience. |
Study Start Date : | December 2009 |
Actual Primary Completion Date : | October 2014 |
Actual Study Completion Date : | October 1, 2015 |

Group/Cohort |
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thoracal lesion
spinal lesion at thoracal level detected at prenatal ultrasound exam
|
lumbar lesion
spinal lesion at lumbar level detected at prenatal ultrasound exam
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sacral lesion
spinal lesion at sacral level detected at prenatal ultrasound exam
|
- pregnancy outcome [ Time Frame: 17 yrs ]To investigate the prenatal course and functional outcome of fetuses with spina bifida according to prenatal ultrasound exam.
- Infant psychomotor development [ Time Frame: 17 yrs ]
Kaufmann ABC
Denver Developmental Screening Test
walking ability
muscle strenght
- Infant bladder and bowel function [ Time Frame: 17 yrs ]Degree of continence.
- Conception date [ Time Frame: 17 yrs ]
- spectrum of ultrasound signs [ Time Frame: 17yrs ]

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Ages Eligible for Study: | 12 Weeks to 12 Years (Child) |
Sexes Eligible for Study: | All |
Accepts Healthy Volunteers: | No |
Sampling Method: | Non-Probability Sample |
Inclusion Criteria:
- spina bifida identified at prenatal ultrasound examination
- ultrasound diagnosis between 1993 - 2009
Exclusion Criteria:
- deviant postnatal diagnosis
- loss to follow-up
- incomplete data

To learn more about this study, you or your doctor may contact the study research staff using the contact information provided by the sponsor.
Please refer to this study by its ClinicalTrials.gov identifier (NCT number): NCT01100697
Germany | |
Schleswig- Holstein University, Campus Lübeck, Department of Prenatal Medicine | |
Lübeck, Schleswig- Holstein, Germany, D- 23538 |
Principal Investigator: | Feriel Amari, M.D. | Schleswig- Holstein University, Lübeck | |
Study Director: | Jan Weichert, M.D. | Schleswig- Holstein University, Lübeck | |
Study Chair: | Klaus Diedrich, PhD | Schleswig- Holstein University, Lübeck |
Publications:
Publications automatically indexed to this study by ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier (NCT Number):
Responsible Party: | Daniel Alexander Beyer, Dr. D. A. Beyer, University of Luebeck |
ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: | NCT01100697 History of Changes |
Other Study ID Numbers: |
UKSH-HL-09-181 |
First Posted: | April 9, 2010 Key Record Dates |
Last Update Posted: | March 14, 2017 |
Last Verified: | March 2017 |
Keywords provided by Daniel Alexander Beyer, University of Luebeck:
prenatal diagnosis ultrasound outcome spina bifida neural tube defect |
Additional relevant MeSH terms:
Spinal Dysraphism Neural Tube Defects Nervous System Malformations Nervous System Diseases Congenital Abnormalities |