Prevalence study on the ultrasonography screening for neural tube defects in the secondary prevention / 中华超声影像学杂志

ABSTRACT

Objective To explore the utilization and effectiveness of ultrasound screening for neural tube defects (NTDs),so that to provide scientific evidences for the secondary prevention of NTDs.MethodsFour hundred and fifty-nine women who delivered or gestated NTDs babies or fetuses were randomly selected from Shandong Province and Shanxi Province,and the related information was collected with structured questionnaire by trained interviewers.Results Of the 459 cases,the ultrasonography utilization rate was 98.7%,and 6 cases (1.3%) never took examinations by ultrasonography during the whole pregnancy period.The total diagnosis rate of ultrasound screening for NTDs was 85.9%,and those of anencephalus,spina bifida and encephalocele were 96.4%,79.6% and 73.8% respectively (P0.05).Conclusions The detection rates of NTDs and the subtypes by ultrasonography are low at different pregnant periods and in different medical institutions.It is important to increase the utilization rate of ultrasound screening by pregnant women and improve the NTDs diagnostic level of primary health care institutions,so that to improve the efficacy of secondary prevention strategy for NTDs in China.