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Alternative names Return to top
Aprosencephaly with open craniumDefinition Return to top
Anencephaly is the absence of a large part of the brain and the skull.
Causes, incidence, and risk factors Return to top
Anencephaly is a neural tube defect that occurs early in the development of an unborn baby. Neural tube defects involve the tissue that grows into the brain and spinal cord. Anencephaly results when the upper portion of the neural tube fails to close. Why this happens is not known. Possible causes include environmental toxins and low intake of folic acid during pregnancy.
Anencephaly occurs in about 4 out of 10,000 births. The exact number is unknown, because many of these pregnancies spontaneously abort. Having one anencephalic infant increases the risk of having another child with neural tube defects.
Low intake of folic acid during pregnancy can also contribute to neural tube defects such as anencephaly.
Symptoms Return to top
In the mother:Signs and tests Return to top
The following tests can help identify anencephaly:Treatment Return to top
No specific therapy is recommended, since this is a fatal condition.Expectations (prognosis) Return to top
This condition is usually fatal within days.
Calling your health care provider Return to top
This condition is usually found by the physician during routine prenatal testing and ultrasound. Otherwise, it is recognized at birth.
If anencephaly is detected before birth, further counseling will be needed.
Prevention Return to top
It is important for women who may become pregnant to get enough folic acid. To reduce the risk of some neural tube defects, talk to your doctor about getting the right amount of folic acid for at least three months before becoming pregnant and during the first month of pregnancy.
Getting enough folic acid can reduce the chance of neural tube defects by 50 percent.
Update Date: 10/30/2003 Updated by: Philip L. Graham III, M.D., M.S., F.A.A.P., Department of Pediatrics, Children's Hospital of New York, Columbia University, New York, NY. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network.
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Page last updated: 28 October 2004 |