MENINGOENCEPHALOCELE ASSOCIATED WITH TRIPTERYGIUM-WILFORDII TREATMENT

We treated a male infant with occipital meningoencephalocele associate d with the taking of Tripterygium wilfordii. The infant was delivered normally at 38 weeks of gestation with a huge cystic mass protruding f rom the occiput, He was diagnosed with occipital meningoencephalocele and cerebellar agenesis, His mother had taken T. wilfordii for rheumat oid arthritis early in her pregnancy, T. wilfordii is a herbal medicin e used for rheumatoid arthritis and male contraception, Since its toxi city is high and its use during pregnancy is restricted, it is the mos t likely cause of this infant's anomalies.