Long-term outcome of 25 fetuses with ventriculomegaly diagnosed before
delivery who survived the neonatal period up to school age was examin
ed at 10.1 (standard deviation, 2.6) years of age. Twelve children had
normal motor and mental development, seven were severely handicapped,
and six showed intermediate outcome. The fetuses with severe handicap
s on long-term follow-up had more severe ventricular dilation than the
fetuses with good long-term outcomes. Eighteen of the children had su
rgical treatment, and seven of them had normal long-term development.
Thirty percent of surviving fetuses with ventriculomegaly have poor lo
ng-term outcomes. In isolated progressive ventriculomegaly, early deli
very as soon as fetal lung maturity allows might be reasonable for ach
ievement of better long-term prognosis.