Anencephaly:
Absence of the cranial vault and absence of most or all of the cerebral hemispheres of the brain. Anencephaly is a neural tube defect (NTD). It is due to abnormal development during embryonic life of the neural tube, the structure which gives rise to the central nervous system (the brain and spinal cord). Specifically, the upper end of the neural tube fails to close. Anencephaly is a uniformally lethal malformation. The risk of all NTDs including anencephaly can be decreased by the mother eating ample folic acid during pregnancy.
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