Conclusion
In conclusion, we report delayed brain development in CDH fetuses around
28 weeks, which becomes less prominent at 33 weeks. This mandates
further investigation into the sulcation pattern beyond 34 weeks in CDH
fetuses, including quantitative methods, e.g. cortical folding pattern
analysis36, cortical thickness, local gyrification
index25, as well as earlier in fetuses not undergoing
fetal therapy. We also observed an increase in extra-axial space and
also in ventricular volume in the third trimester. Of note is that there
was no correlation between brain development and the severity of lung
hypoplasia in this highly selected group.