Frequency of Anencephaly in All Pregnant Population: An Observational Study

The present study was conducted in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology of Federal Government Services Hospital Islamabad, Pakistan, for a six months period, in order to calculate frequency of anencephaly and identify causative factors in association with births affected with neural tube defects. All pregnant ladies delivered at Federal Government Services Hospital and MCH centre in the six months were included in the study and frequency of anencephaly was computed to be 8.11 per 1,000 births. All first trimester abortions, ectopic pregnancy, septic induced abortions and molar pregnancy were excluded. Among the study group 15 (42.8%) patients were primiparas, mean maternal age was 27.8 years, and majority belonged to lower socioeconomic status. Folic acid had been used by 37.1% patients. Mean gestational age was 25.5 weeks and patients were diagnosed for anencephaly by ultrasound. Major complications recorded were polyhydraminos (97.14%). Females were predominant in anencephalic group. The frequency of anencephaly may be reduced by creating awareness about periconceptional use of folic acid, and early termination of pregnancy.