Isolated mild fetal cerebral ventriculomegaly: clinical course and outcome.

PURPOSE

To assess the outcome of fetuses with isolated mild ventriculomegaly (IMVM).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The clinical course of 44 fetuses with IMVM was investigated. Cognitive and motor development was classified as normal or delayed.

RESULTS

Clinical data were available for 37 subjects. Three (8%) neonates died. Of the 34 living children, follow-up was limited (< 9 months) in six and the clinical course beyond the 1st year of life was established in 28. Twenty-two (79%) of the 28 children are developing normally, whereas six (21%) are developmentally delayed. More than 90% of fetuses with ventricular atrial diameter of 10-11 mm are normal. Seventy-five percent of fetuses with IMVM were male. With exclusion of the six children with limited follow-up, 78% of boys older than 1 year are developmentally normal compared with only 50% of girls.

CONCLUSION

The majority of living children with prenatally detected IMVM are developmentally normal, especially those with borderline ventriculomegaly. Gender differences in prevalence and outcome deserve further investigation.