Urinary Anomalies in Fetus with Neural Tube Defects

Abstract

Background: The objective of this study is to analyze the incidence of congenital urogenital malformations in human fetuses with neural tube defects (NTDs). Methods: We studied 320 human fetuses (214 males and 106 female) ranged in age from 12 to 35 weeks post-conception (WPC). The fetuses were carefully dissected with the aid of a stereoscopic lens with 16/25× magnification. The abdomen and pelvis were opened to identify and expose the urogenital organs. We studied the incidence of renal, ureteral, bladder, urethral, testicular, epididymal, vas deferens, prostate and penile and uterine anomalies. The renal anomalies were divided into rotation, fusion, number and ascension. We observed the presence of seminalvesicle and ureteral duplication, bladderseptation, hypospadias and posterior urethral valve. Results: We observed 17 fetuses (5.31%) with NTDs ranged in age between 18 to 34 WPC, weighted between 170 and 2325 g, and had crownrump length between 13 and 34 cm. Of the 17 fetuses, 4 (23.4%) presented some kind of anomaly of the urogenital system. Renal anomalies were found in three fetuses (17.6%) and a duplication of the left ureter in one fetus (5.8%). We do not observe anomalies in genital organs in this sample. Conclusions: We concluded that the urogenital anomalies in human fetuses with neural tube defects are significant with an incidence superior a 20%. In this study we have not found severe urogenital anomaly that causes damage of the body function.

Anencephaly alters renal parenchymal volume in human fetuses?

“…Recently, Costa et al ( 27 ) studied 17 human fetuses with NTDs and found that urogenital anomalies in human fetuses with NTDs are significant, with an incidence greater than 20%, but did not find severe urogenital anomalies that impair body function. The same group reported that in fetuses with anencephaly, the ureters had smaller diameter, area and thickness, which could indicate that this tissue tends to have significant structural alterations, probably due to cerebral lesions with consequent brain control damage of ureter nerves ( 15 ).…”

Neural Tube Defects and Associated Congenital Malformations in Intrauterine Dead and Stillborn Foetuses- A Cross-Sectional Study

“…Ureteral duplication was an associated finding in a study by SF Costa et al 20 Previous studies showed cystic kidney in cranioschisis. Double ureters were found in one case of craniorachischisis and one case of occipital encephalocele (15.38%).…”