Neural Tube Defect
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are a group of birth defects in which an opening in the spine or cranium remains from early in human development. In the third week of pregnancy called gastrulation, specialized cells on the dorsal side of the embryo begin to change shape and form the neural tube. When the neural tube does not close completely, an NTD develops.
Specific types include: spina bifida which affects the spine, anencephaly which results in little to no brain, encephalocele which affects the skull, and iniencephaly which results in severe neck problems.[1]
NTDs are one of the most common birth defects, affecting over 300,000 births each year worldwide.[2] For example, spina bifida affects approximately 1,500 births annually in the United States, or about 3.5 in every 10,000 (0.035% of US births),[1][3] which has decreased from around 5 per 10,000 (0.05% of US births) since folate fortification of grain products was started.[3] The number of deaths in the US each year due to neural tube defects also declined from 1,200 before folate fortification was started to 840.[4]
Glossary Quick Search
Acardiac Twin
Achondrogenesis
Acrania
Agenesis of the Corpus Callosum
Amelia
Amniocentesis
Amniotic Band Syndrome
Anembryonic Pregnancy
Anencephaly
Aneuploidy
Aneuploidy Screening
Anhydramnios
Antenatal Surveillance
Aqueductal Stenosis
Arthrogryposis
Asphyxiating Thoracic Dystrophy (ATD)
Atelosteogenesis Type 2
Atrial Septal Defect
Autosomal Recessive
Autosomal Dominant
Atrioventricular Septal Defect (AVSD)
Camptomelic Dysplasia
Cardiac Rhabdomyoma
Carrier Screening
Caudal Regression Syndrome
Cell Free DNA
Chiari Malformation
Chloacal Anomaly
Chorionic Villus Sampling (CVS)
Choroid Plexus Cyst
Chromosomal Deletion
Chromosomal Duplication
Chromosomal Translocation
Chromosomes
Cleft Lip
Cleft Palate
Comfort Care
Congenital
Congenital Chylothorax
Congenital Heart Defect
Congenital High Airway Obstruction Syndrome (CHAOS)
Congenital Scoliosis
Craniopagus Conjoined Twins
Criss-Cross Heart
Cyanotic Heart Disease
Cystic Hygroma
Cytomegalovirus (CMV)
Pallister Killian Syndrome
Pediatric Hospice
Pediatric Paliative Care
Pena-Shokeir Syndrome
Pentalogy of Cantrell
Percutaneous Umbilical Blood Sampling (PUBS)
Pericardial Effusion
Perinatal Hospice
Perinatal Loss
Perinatal Palliative Care
Perinatal Period
Pleural Effusion
Polycystic Kidney Disease
Polyhydramnios
Porencephaly
Positive Predictive Value
Potter Syndrome
Pregnancy Continuation
Pregnancy Loss
Pregnancy Termination
Prenatal Diagnosis
Pulmonary Hypoplasia