Araújo, Aurigena Antunes deSouza, Graziene Lopes deBrandão, Gustavo Henrique AzevedoOliveira, Yonara Monique da CostaNascimento, Heveline Gomes doAlves, Maria do Socorro Costa Feitosa2018-06-122018-06-122012ARAUJO, Aurigena Antunes de; et al. Prevalência e caracterização dos casos de mielomeningocele no Rio Grande Do Norte/Brasil. Revista de Ciências Médicas (PUCCAMP), v. 12, p. xx-xx, 2012. Disponível em: < https://seer.sis.puc-campinas.edu.br/seer/index.php/cienciasmedicas/article/view/1872> Acesso em: 13 mar. 2018.2318-0897https://repositorio.ufrn.br/jspui/handle/123456789/25364Objective This study aimed to identify the prevalence of children with myelomeningocele and describe their characteristics. Methods A questionnaire was used for collecting the following data from children with myelomeningocele who visited the Hospital Infantil Varela Santiago in Rio Grande do Norte between 2004 and 2005: sex, associated congenital malformation, mother’s education level, household income, home’s water source, Social Assistance, prenatal diagnosis of myelomeningocele and family history of the disease. Results Myelomeningocele prevalences in 2004 and 2005 were 6:10,000 and 2:10,000 live births, respectively. Most (82.6%) patients also had hydrocephalus, 59.1% were male, 22.7% had been diagnosed before birth by ultrasound, 13.6% had a family history of myelomeningocele, 4.3% had Social Assistance, 56.5% had a household income equal to or below one minimum wage, 91.0% of the households had piped water, 50.0% of the households consumed homemade cassava flour, 47.8% of the children’s mothers had less than 4 years of formal education, all mothers had attended prenatal care, 40.9% of the mothers started prenatal care on the second trimester of pregnancy, and 13.6% of the mothers did not take vitamin supplements during pregnancy. Conclusion The study draws attention to the fact that some mothers only began prenatal care on the second trimester of pregnancy, and worse, the disease was often not detected by ultrasound. The study shows that education actions on woman’s health and better quality diagnostic services are necessary.Acesso AbertoFatores de riscoMeningomielocelePrevalênciaarticlehttps://doi.org/10.24220/2318-0897v21n1/6a1872