Question 1

what is anencephaly?

Accepted Answer

Anencephaly: Anencephaly is one of a group of malformations of the central nervous system collectively called neural tube defects. Anencephaly is readily apparent at birth because of the absence of the skull and scalp and with exposure of the underlying brain.

Question 2

what is iniencephaly vs anencephaly?

Accepted Answer

Same.: Iniencephaly is as lethal as anencephaly and associated with an extreme retroflexion of the fetal head towards the back.

Question 3

what do doctors say when they tell a family the baby has anencephaly>?

Accepted Answer

Hopefully,the truth: The difficulty of transmitting this info to the parents is much less than the sadness & loss the parents will feel when they get the info. Pregnancy is one of life's gambles & up  to 4% have an unexpected event after delivery.Accurate information on how/why/recurrence risks are all part of the problem management. Either the OB or a geneticist /counselor should fill in the blanks.

Question 4

what are the chances of someone with type 1 having a baby with anencephaly?

Accepted Answer

Slight increased: There is a slight increase in anencephaly with type 1 diabetes. The major factor for this and other neural tube defects is Folic Acid deficiency. Type 1 diabetes uncontrolled can also lead to a large number and variety of other birth defects.

Question 5

what are the tests for anencephaly?

Accepted Answer

Ultrasound.: Only expert prenatal ultrasound can reliably detect anencephaly after the first trimester of pregnancy. Amniotic fluid Alpha fetoprotein and acetylcholinesterase can also help reach the diagnosis.

Question 6

what can i do to treat anencephaly?

Accepted Answer

Comfort care only!: Nobody can nor should help prolong the "lives" of these poor neonates. Anencephalic newborns are devoid of any chance of meaningful interaction with the environment and never attain consciousness. Comfort care is all that is ethically permissible for these dramatic cases.
Take 4-5 mg daily of Folic Acid daily throughout your reproductive life, to prevent this from recurring in future pregnancies.

Question 7

what sort of problem is anencephaly?

Accepted Answer

Birth defect: Failure of the brain to develop normally in the fetus.

Question 8

what are the symptoms of anencephaly?

Accepted Answer

None.: The mother usually has no symptoms when she is carrying an anencephalic infant, however this is a lethal fetal anomaly. Its recurrence in future pregnancies can be prevented with daily use of Folic Acid at 4-5 mg.

Question 9

what is the main cause of anencephaly?

Accepted Answer

3 weeks after con-: ception, an embryo's neural plate  develops a midline groove; its edges over-fold &amp; close to form a neural tube. Anencephaly is the most severe of the Neural Tube Defects caused by interaction of one of several genes with environmental factors. Low maternal folate (folic acid)  level at conception is a main cause; MTHFR, a main gene iinvolved. Fertile women who take daily Folic Acid have lower risk of NTD's.

Question 10

what are the tests that indicate anencephaly?

Accepted Answer

Anencephaly: Anencephaly is a serious birth defect where the brain does not form and the top of the skull is open. It is an extreme form of a neural tube defect. Tests which can indicate anencephaly are an ultrasound examination. A blood test called msafp can be drawn at 15 weeks also.

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