Anencephaly is a neural tube defect that present with a lack of forebrain. This condition is a cephalic disorder. When the neural tube does not close, portions of the brain never form. In the case of Anencephaly, it is the forebrain and commonly sections of the scalp and skill do not form properly either. Babies born with Anencephaly will most likely be blind, deaf, feel no pain and never gain consciousness.

About one in every 2-10,000 pregnancies result in anencephaly. The incidence depends on the ethnic background of the parents as well as environmental factors. The condition is not treatable and if the fetus does not spontaneously abort, a still birth may result. In some cases, the baby is born but will die within a few hours or days of birth due to heart failure. If the condition is diagnosed before birth, parents are counseled to abort the pregnancy as there is no means of saving an infant’s life when Anencephaly has developed.

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