Neural Tube Defects - Understanding Birth Defects

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What are neural tube defects?

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are birth defects (congenital conditions) of the brain, spine or spinal cord. They happen to developing fetuses within the first month of pregnancy — often before you even know you’re pregnant. The two most common neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly.

What is a neural tube defect (NTD)?

Neural tube defects (NTDs) happen to developing fetuses within the first month of pregnancy. An NTD happens when the neural tube doesn’t close completely somewhere along its length. What is a neural tube defect? Neural tube defects (NTDs) are birth defects (congenital conditions) of the brain, spine or spinal cord.

How common are neural tube defects?

Neural tube defects (NTDs) occur in about 3,000 pregnancies each year in the United States. To put that into perspective, there were approximately 3,605,000 births in the U.S. in 2020. The two most common NTDs are spina bifida and anencephaly.

What is a neural tube in spina bifida?

The neural tube is the structure that eventually develops into the baby's brain and spinal cord. The neural tube starts to form in early pregnancy and closes about 4 weeks after conception. In spina bifida, part of the neural tube does not develop or close properly, leading to defects in the spinal cord and bones of the spine (vertebrae).

What are neural tube defects (spina bifida)?

Neural tube defects (spina bifida) are a developmental anomaly which occurs very early in pregnancy. The neural tube develops to form the spinal cord, brain and spine. When spina bifida occurs, the tube is split and one or more vertebrae (small bones of the back) fail to form properly, leaving a gap. Read more about spina bifida on the NHS website.

What Is Neural Tube Defects

1. https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/diseases/22656-neural-tube-defects-ntd
2. https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/spina-bifida/
3. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neural_tube_defect
4. https://bnf.nice.org.uk/treatment-summaries/neural-tube-defects-prevention-in-pregnancy/
5. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8884297/
6. https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/neural-tube-defects
7. https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/facts-about-neural-tube-defects.html
8. https://medlineplus.gov/neuraltubedefects.html
9. https://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/ntds

Neural Tube Defects Information

1. https://view-health-screening-recommendations.service.gov.uk/neural-tube-defect/
2. https://www.msdmanuals.com/home/children-s-health-issues/birth-defects-of-the-brain-and-spinal-cord/neural-tube-defects-and-spina-bifida