Management of Prenatally Diagnosed Malformations of the Central Nervous System: Factors Influencing Decision-making and the Time of Termination of Pregnancy

The diagnostic and prognostic complexity of cerebral malformations means that delayed diagnosis and prolonged decision-making are common, even under optimal conditions of care. Early introduction of standardized prenatal diagnostic examinations is needed for to ensure that the pregnant woman receives open-ended, informed counseling as soon as possible. But late termination of pregnancy is not necessarily negative as, in most cases, this is due to the need for a differentiated prenatal diagnostic evaluation - for example, a fetal MRI - and the ethical requirement of sufficient time to provide informed, well-considered decision-making.