Central nervous system (CNS) malformations in fetuses can be detected by ultrasound and/or MRI scans during pregnancy.In cases of termination of pregnancy or fetal demise, autopsies are carried out.The fetal autopsies include detailed gross and histological evaluation of fetus and placenta.During the last 15 years, 1,034 fetal autopsies were performed at Meir Hospital, Kfar-Saba, Israel.Among these, 253 (24%) had severe brain malformations.Indications for termination of pregnancy were prenatal diagnosis of: ventricular dilatation, agenesis of corpus callosum, periventricular abnormalities, intraventricular hemorrhages, microcephaly, holoprosencephaly, tumors, vascular malformations, neural tube defects, vertebral abnormalities and arthrogryposi s.Several pregnancies were terminated for malformations in other organs and genetic abnormalities.Eight fetuses died in utero.At autopsies, brains and spinal cords were carefully extracted.They were examined systematically, grossly and histologically, through an orderly sampling, with correlation to imaging studies.