Anencephaly: A Neural Tube Defect – A Review

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are one of the commonest birth defects. They form a spectrum of disease ranging from anencephaly to spina bifida occulta. Anencephaly is a cephalic disorder that occurs when the cephalic (head) end of the neural tube fails to close, resulting in the absence of a major portion of the brain, skull, and scalp. However few studies have systematically looked into the etiopathogenesis of anencephaly which mainly includes nutritional deficiencies and genetic predisposition. Efforts are a foot for universal food fortification with folic acid in the hope of preventing NTDs. So we hereby conclude that caution should be exercised before widespread of anencephaly or the NTDs.