OBJECTIVE: To report a case of diastematomyelia diagnosed prenatally at 20th gestational week. Design: Antenatal surveillance and delivery of the fetus with the diagnosis of diastematomyelia were successfully achieved in our clinics. Setting: Gazi University Faculty of Medicine Obstetrics and Gynecology Department, Besevler, Ankara Patient: Fetus with a prenatal diagnosis of diastematomyelia at 20th gestational week. Intervention: The patient, diagnosed to have a fetus with diastematomyelia at 20th gestational weeks, delivered at 41 weeks by vaginal route. Main outcome measures: Condition of the fetus from 20th weeks till birth and health status of both the mother and the newborn after delivery were assessed. RESULTS: No neurological deficits existed in the baby delivered at 41th gestational weeks by the vaginal route. The newborn weighed 3160 grams and the apgar scores were 9/10. The mother and the newborn, being in good health, were discharged form the hospital on the second postpartum day with the advices of regular neurological examination of the baby. CONCLUSION: Diastematomyelia is a rare skeletal system anomaly. It can be diagnosed antenatally which renders early surgical correction possible, resulting in a good prognosis.
Keywords: a-fetoprotein, diastematomyelia, prenatal diagnosis, spinal cord, ultrasonography\r\n