Meckel syndrome and the prenatal diagnosis of neural tube defects.

Two fetuses, terminated after prenatal diagnosis of aneural tube defect, had Meckel syndrome. There have now been three fetuses with this syndrome in a series of 35 terminated because of open lesions of the neural tube. It is suggested that such therapeutically aborted fetuses represent a highly selected group, among which a rare condition like Meckel syndrome will be concentrated. The need for a detailed examination of all terminated fetuses is emphasised, for the identification of such an autosomal recessive condition alters the genetic counselling for a future pregnancy.