Background: In utero repair has become an accepted therapy to decrease the rate of ventriculoperitoneal shunting and improve neurologic function in select cases of myelomeningocele. The Management of Myelomeningocele Study (MOMS) trial excluded patients with a BMI >35 due to concerns for increased maternal complications and preterm delivery, limiting the population that may benefit from this intervention.
Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes associated with extending the maternal BMI criteria to 40 in open fetal repair of myelomeningocele.
Method: Retrospective review of fetal closure of myelomeningocele at a quaternary referral center between 2013 and 2016 with maternal BMI ranging from 35 to 40.
Results: Eleven patients with a BMI >35 were identified. The average BMI was 37. The average maternal age at the time of evaluation was 27 years. The average gestational age at fetal surgery was 24 weeks. Gestational age at birth was an average of 32 weeks. There was one perinatal death immediately following the fetal intervention. The shunt rate at 1 year was 45% (5/11 patients).
Conclusions: In this single-institution review of expanded BMI criteria for fetal repair of myelomeningocele, we did not observe any adverse maternal outcomes associated with maternal obesity; however, the gestational age at delivery was 2 weeks earlier compared to the MOMS trial.
Keywords: MOMS Plus; Maternal obesity; Myelomeningocele; Myeloschisis; Neural tube defect; Open fetal surgery.
© 2019 S. Karger AG, Basel.