Anencephaly: Treatment, Procedure, Cost and Side Effects

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Anencephaly is a disease that is normally found in new born babies. In this type of disease, the baby is born with an underdeveloped brain and has incomplete skills. This occurs during embryonic formation. It is a condition where the normal development of the brain and skull is prevented. This happens when a structure called the neural tube fails too close during the first few weeks of embryonic development. The neural tube is a layer of cells that ultimately develops into the brain and spinal cord. During pregnancy, the human brain and spine begin as a flat plate of cells, which rolls into a tube, called the neural tube. If all or part of the neural tube fails to close, leaving an opening, this is known as an open neural tube defect. This opening may be left exposed or covered with bone or skin. There is no treatment for this disease. Mostly babies born with this disease die shortly after their birth. In most cases it becomes a miscarriage hence, it’s not normally known, and if at all the baby is born it dies within hours or days. This situation can happen due to the combination of genes or the medicines the mother takes during pregnancy or what the mother eats or drinks during pregnancy.

There is no cure or treatment for the disease. The treatment given here is supportive. Mental support is given to the parents by the doctors since losing a child is a major loss to them. The hospitals provide the parents with immense moral support to bring them back to normal state. However, one can always prevent a child from this situation. To prevent this situation the mother should get enough folic acid before and during early pregnancy, this can help prevent neutral tube defects. You will have to take 400mcg of folic acid during pregnancy.

Anencephaly can be diagnosed during pregnancy or after the baby is born. During pregnancy a screening test would be taken to make sure if there are any abnormalities. Anencephaly would result in this result, in this case it can be diagnosed to an extent. Some symptoms can be seen during pregnancy such as folding of ears, missing bones around the front and sides of the head, absence of bony covering over the back of the head etc, these symptoms may also mean other conditions. There are other tests through which this disease can be diagnosed such as Alpha-fetoprotein, A protein produced by the foetus that is excreted into the amniotic fluid. Abnormal levels of alpha-fetoprotein may indicate brain or spinal cord defects, multiple foetuses, a miscalculated due date, or chromosomal disorders like Amniocentesis. A test performed to determine chromosomal and genetic disorders and certain birth defects. The test involves inserting a needle through the abdominal and uterine wall into the amniotic sac to retrieve a sample of amniotic fluid. Ultrasound (also called sonography). A diagnostic imaging technique that uses high-frequency sound waves and a computer to create images of blood vessels, tissues, and organs. Ultrasounds are used to view internal organs as they function, and to assess blood flow through various vessel and blood tests. In some cases, it is found only after the birth, in that case nothing can be done.

There are no parameters for eligibility and everyone is eligible for this treatment.

There are no side effects to this treatment.

After one pregnancy gets affected by anencephaly, genetic counselling is necessary to discuss the same risk in future pregnancies as well as vitamin therapy for folic acid needs to be taken. Taking more of folic acid during the first trimester of pregnancy may reduce the chances of anencephaly. Doctors also advice the mother to avoid smoking and drinking.

There is no recovery time because the baby dies as soon as it is born, but since the hospitals give the parents moral support and the parents are also low because of their loss, the recovery time for parents i.e. coming back to the normal state of mind would be between 1 month – 1 year. This is just a rough estimate. Some people might recover within a weeks’ time and others might take years to recover. It totally depends on the parent’s mental capacity and how strong they are.

There is no treatment cost for this disease. However, if the mother takes folic acid supplements to prevent risk in future pregnancy, then that would cost around Rs 400 - 500 per month.

There is no permanent treatment