A Term Fetus With Alobar Holoprosencephaly and Cyclopia: Case Report

Abstract

Alobar holoprosencephaly(HPE) is a rare, severe, complex human brain malformation. We describe a case of cyclopia with alobar HPE identified at 40 weeks of gestation by 2-dimensional (2D) and 3D transabdominal ultrasound (US).A 27-year-old woman, gravida5, para4, abortion0, was referred to our department at 40 weeks of gestation; she was experiencing labor pains and had a nonreactive non-stress test. The mother had received no regular antenatal care, and no sonography was performed during pregnancy. Both 2D and 3D US revealed alobar HPE and cyclopia. The baby was born by vaginal delivery shortly thereafter and then died after birth. On examination, the face had a single, large median eye and no nose. Alobar HPE and cyclopia can be diagnosed by US early during pregnancy. Early diagnosis is important to allow for early termination of pregnancy and to minimize the physiological and psychological impact of such anomalies on the mother and family.