May is Anencephaly Awareness Month. Before this past October, I'd never even heard of this birth defect. Now it has now changed Eric and I's lives forever. This entire month I'll be sharing information about anencephaly, as well as stories from a few other moms that I've gotten to know because of it.
Today, I'm sharing a little background information on anencephaly. Next week I'll be talking about the occurrence of anencephaly. The following week will be on causes and risk factors. The last week in May will be on diagnosis and outcomes.
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So what exactly is anencephaly? Anencephaly is considered a neural tube defect (NTD). A more common NTD is spina bifida. The neural tube forms during early development, and as it closes it helps form the baby's brain and skull, spinal cord, and back bones. Anencephaly happens when the upper part of the neural tube doesn't close all the way. This causes the baby to be born without part of their brain and skull. This results in an opening at the top of the baby's head that is not covered by skin or bone. That's why most babies born with anencephaly will be seen wearing a hat, much like the one our Madison is wearing below.
Stay tuned later this week as I share our story again for you all, and the following weeks to learn more about anencephaly and hear from others affected by this birth defect.
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