Anencephaly is one of a group of birth defects known as the neural tube defects, said Nancy Ford, R.N., M.P.H., director of Pediatric Screening and Genetic Services at the Virginia Department of Health. The neural tube is the structure in a growing baby that closes to form the spinal cord and brain. This tube normally closes around day 28 of growth. Most women would not even know they were pregnant when this happens, so that is why folic acid should be taken everyday. Anencephaly occurs when the neural tube does not close properly and the baby ™s brain and skull fail to form completely. The baby is born without the front of the brain and the area of the brain where thinking and coordination occur. Without a complete brain a baby ™s body cannot grow and function. Most babies with anencephaly die within a few days of birth. Approximately 10 children are born in Virginia each year with anencephaly, according to the health department ™s Birth Defect Surveillance Data report for 1989-1998.

Spina bifida is a neural tube defect caused by the failure of the fetus's spine to close properly during the first month of pregnancy, Ms. Ford explains. The location and the size of the opening in the neural tube can affect how serious the problems are for the child. Common problems, despite surgery, include some degree of paralysis or muscle weakness below the area of the opening, and bladder and bowel control issues. In addition to physical and mobility difficulties, most children with spina bifida have learning problems. Spina bifida is one of the most common birth defects. Approximately 40 children are born in Virginia each year with spina bifida, according VDH ™s birth defects report.

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