Topical Review: Fetal and Neonatal Neurologic Case Histories: Assessment of Brain Disorders in the Context of Fetal-Maternal-Placental Disease. Part 1: Fetal Neurologic Consultations in the Context of Antepartum Events and Prenatal Brain Development

Abstract

The pediatric neurologist can contribute to a fetal diagnostic service that includes the maternal-fetal specialist as well as placental and pediatric pathologists, neonatologists, neurosurgeons, geneticists, and other pediatric subspecialists. Selected case histories of patients who presented to our fetal neurology service illustrate the wide spectrum of disease entities that are highly dependent on the time during gestation, location of brain injury, and the direct as well as indirect effects of fetal/maternal/placental disease processes on brain maturation. The pediatric neurologist has the opportunity to provide an important consultative role, bridging prenatal to neonatal life and integrating medical and ethical concerns for the child in the context of the family. ( J Child Neurol 2003; 18:85—92).