High prevalences of anencephaly and neural tube defects (NTDs) have recently been recorded for several Texas counties bordering Mexico. In addition, a few investigators have reported Hispanics to be at elevated risk for NTDs (anencephaly and spina bifida). Factors contributing to this risk have not been established. The authors conducted a study of NTDs in Harris County, Texas, to determine the...

Anencephaly is an open neural tube [5] defect, meaning that part of the neural tube [5] does not properly close or that it has reopened during early embryogenesis [6]. An embryo with anencephaly develops without the top of the skull, but retains a partial skull, including the face. Anencephaly is one of the most common birth defects [7] of the neural tube [5], occurring at a rate of approximate...

Anencephaly represents a severe defect of development of the neuraxis, in which the developing forebrain and variable amounts of the brainstem are exposed in utero and fail to develop or are destroyed. Patient SM, 27 years of age, referred to our clinic for obstetrical ultrasound. The patient had no previous ultrasound examination in the current pregnancy. At the presentation time, the pregnanc...

STUDY OBJECTIVE The aim was to study the relationship between birth prevalence of neural tube defect (including anencephaly) in Eastern Turkey before and after the Chernobyl disaster. DESIGN This was a prospective study of time trends in live births and stillbirths over the years 1985-1990. Medical and sociodemographic data were recorded for the mothers. SETTING Elazig, Eastern Turkey. SU...

Records of 93 cases of anencephaly from three maternity hospitals in Singapore between 1976 and 1980 were analysed. The incidence was 0.54 per 1000 births. No significant correlation between anencephaly and local seasonal conditions could be found for Singapore.

The Case Against Non-Compliance with the Fundamental Principle concerning Anencephaly, under review by the Brazilian Supreme Court, is a milestone in the debate on abortion in Latin America. Since the currently prevailing version of the Brazilian Penal Code was enacted in 1940, there has been fierce resistance to any change in the country's abortion policy. This article discusses the arguments ...

The goal of this study was to assess the prevalence and trends of anencephaly on the basis of a large population-based cases identified by the Liaoning Birth Defects Registry, which included 14 cities over a 10-year period. Anencephaly prevalence, percent change, average changeand the contribution rates of each city were calculated. Statistical analysis was undertaken on the basis of a Poisson ...

Anencephaly is a lethal diagnosis. In the unique situation of a twin pregnancy discordant for anencephaly, early ultrasound diagnosis based on the discrepancy in the appearance of the heads can facilitate management and potentially decrease morbidity and mortality for the unaffected twin. We report two such cases of dichorionic, diamniotic twin pregnancies and provide a review of the literature.