Epidemiology of neural tube defect subtypes in Tunisia, 1991–2011

Neural tube defects are common major congenital anomalies that result from very early disruption in the development of the brain and spinal cord. We conducted an epidemiological study to determine the impact of some feto-maternal characteristics in the occurrence of NTD subtypes. Characteristics and outcomes of births with NTD and pregnancy characteristics of mothers over a period of twenty years (1991–2011) were recorded in the medical chart. From 1991 through 2011, 769 stillborns with NTD were delivered, yielding a prevalence of 2.02/10,000. The increase in NTD prevalences over these years was statistically significant (P=0.000). In addition, differences between prevalences of NTD subtypes over season (P=0.003) and between genders (P