ABSTRACT

Despite the degree of scientific development of the medical science CNS congenital malformations are about 25% of all congenital malformations in children and their proportion in the structure of perinatal and infant mortality to date is about 30%. Therefore, prenatal diagnosis, prevention and prediction of this pathology have a high profile in many countries of the world. Etiologically in addition to genetic disorders the embryogenesis disorders subject to the action of exo- and endotoxins, the infectious factors are factors of their occurrence. Hydrocephalus is one of the most common congenital malformations of the nervous system in young children. It is diagnosed in 0.1–2.5% of newborns.

Probable risk factors of the development of congenital hydrocephalus are the presence of TORCH infection in the pregnant woman, spouses living near motorways, unregistered marriage, influence of chemical factors on both male and female, father's rough labour before pregnancy, smoking and serving in the army. Probable factors for preventing congenital hydrocephalus in children are higher education of the parents and folic acid intake in the first trimester of pregnancy. These factors need to be taken into account when planning pregnancy to prevent fetal congenital hydrocephalus.

According to EUROCAT the population congenital hydrocephalus incidence ranges from 0.11 to 0.57 %. The congenital hydrocephalus incidence in the Chernivtsi region did not exceed the statistics for Ukraine over the studied period, only in 2012 and 2014 this statistic was higher than the national one. Among the analyzed countries the highest overall incidence over the studied period occurred in Ukraine (0.57 ‰) and the lowest – in Portugal (0.11 ‰).

The analysis of the congenital hydrocephalus incidence in the Chernivtsi region for 2007–2016 and the comparison of this indicator with some countries according to EUROCAT data were carried out.