Between the twenty-fifth and twenty-seventh day of pregnancy, normally before a woman even knows she is pregnant, the neural tube which eventually becomes the brain and spinal cord begins to develop and eventually closes. When the neural tube fails to close, a neural tube defect called anencephaly results. Anencephaly is a congenital anomaly characterized by the absence of the forebrain (forebrain), cerebrum, cerebellum and skull. Part of the brainstem is usually present. The head usually stops just above the eyebrows and tilts back. Because the head stops so suddenly, many babies appear to have bulging eyes. Some are born with cyclopia, that is to say the presence of a single eye centered in the middle of the forehead. Anencephalic babies are known to be called “frog babies” because of their appearance. There may or may not be skin covering the head opening, making part of the brain visible. Babies born with anencephaly are said to be unable to hear, smell or see and only have reflex behaviors such as breathing and responding to sound or touch. Without the brain, the child will never become conscious. Heart defects are also common. The prognosis is death within minutes to days after birth. As the most common neural tube defect, the Centers for Disease Control estimates that 1 in 4,859 babies are born with anencephaly here in the United States. More women are diagnosed than men, in a ratio of 3 to 2. The diagnosis is made by performing an ultrasound and amniocentesis. An ultrasound detects high levels of amniotic fluid (hydramnios), which is a symptom of brain and nervous system disorders and makes the likelihood of premature birth twice as likely. An amniocentesis is used to divide...... middle of paper ......e allows the family to begin the journey to healing. Works Cited "Anencephaly". Anencephaly. Np, and Web. May 14, 2014. Choe, Jaywon. "Boy born without a brain dies after three years of 'miracle life'" Mail Online. Associated Newspapers, November 2, 2012. Web. May 14, 2014. “Anencephaly Facts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, July 15, 2013. Web. May 13, 2014. “Frequently asked questions about anencephaly.” Anencephaly FAQ. Np, and Web. May 14, 2014. Gilman, Samantha J. “Using Anencephalic Infants as an Organ Source: An Ongoing Issue,” The. » Elon L. Rev. 4 (2012): 71. "Rare birth defects continue to rise in Washington state - NBC News." » NBC News. Np, and Web. May 14, 2014. “Unconscious life: the onset and complications of anencephaly.” » Studio Serendip. Np, and Web. May 14 2014.