Ultrasonographic diagnosed fetal anomaly in a tetiary teaching hospital in Nigeria: a five year review

Abstract

The ultrasonographic pattern of congenital anomaly as seen over a period of five years is reported. A true appraisal of the pattern of malformations encountered in a referral health centre is made difficult by a number of factors such as socio-economic status of the patients, ever-present problem of ignorance and superstition and inadequate availability of sonographic machines in the rural areas. The objective of this report is to evaluate and analyse the findings of obstetric ultrasound examination in pregnant patients with congenital fetal anomaly in an African study population. A retrospective study to review ultrasound scan reports of 5,123 women attending the Obstetric Department of the University of Benin Teaching Hospital (UBTH) over a five year period between 2003 to 2008 was conducted. The various types of fetal anomaly seen were documented. Bio-data, clinical information and diagnosis were collected and entered into a Microsoft excel spread-sheet. Data was subjected to simple descriptive statistical analysis using SPSS version 16 (IL, USA). In all 5,132 reports were retrospectively reviewed and 31 patients (age range 18 - 42 years with a mean age of 29.5 ± 6.7 years, median age of 29 years) scanned had fetuses with congenital anomalies that made up the study, giving an incidence of 0.6%. The anomalies included hydrocephalus (45.1%), anencephaly (16.1%), hydraencephaly (9.7%), encephalocele (3.2%), fetal hydrops (6.5%), omphalocele (6.5%) and congenital scrotal hydrocele (12.9%). The routine ante-natal ultrasound examination of the pregnant patient has facilitated identification of fetal congenital anomaly. This improved maternal and neonatal health by providing early diagnosis and management, and therefore reducing fetal morbidity and mortality. There is however a need for further epidemiological survey to find the true incidence of congenital malformations in Nigeria.

Keywords: Congenital fetal anomaly, Ultrasound examination, African population