OBJECTIVE:

Determine the prevalence of omphalocele, describe its characteristics, its relationship to other fetal defects and congenital syndromes in a third level of care referral center.

MATERIALS AND METHODS:

Retrospective, retrolective, case series study, carried out by reviewing the records of patients attended in the defects clinic of the Maternal-Fetal Medicine Department of the Instituto Nacional de Perinatología between 2007 and 2019. Inclusion criteria: patients with prenatal diagnosis of omphalocele, with prenatal care and termination of pregnancy at the Institute. Prevalence was calculated, characteristics of the defect, perinatal outcomes, other related defects and coexistence of genetic diseases were described. Descriptive statistics were used to analyze the results.

RESULTS:

Sixty-two files were reviewed and it was found that the prevalence of the defect was 1 case per-1000 newborns in the period studied. The average age of the mothers was 26.7 (15 to 41) years and the weeks of pregnancy at birth 35.6 (25 to 41.1). Giant omphalocele was found in 39 patients. Thirty-seven cases of omphalocele related to other structural defects were identified; 21 of the 62 neonates died.

CONCLUSION:

The omphalocele is a heterogeneous and multifactorial defect; having the knowledge of its behavior, describing the characteristics of the defect, its association with other congenital and genetic defects allows us its prenatal and post-birth approach in an optimal way, Prenatal ultrasound is a useful tool for its diagnosis and surveillance.