A top view of an Anencephalic newborn.

A top view of an Anencephalic newborn. 

It is a congenital birth defect in which the absence of a major portion of the brain, skull, and scalp that occurs during embryonic development.

Anencephaly is a cephalic disorder that results from a neural tube defect that occurs when the rostral (head) end of the neural tube fails to close, usually between the 23rd and 26th day following conception. What happens if the caudal end of the neural tube fails to close? Spina bifida. 

In anencephaly, the brain initially protrudes through a defect in the cranial vault (exencephaly) and is gradually destroyed because of mechanical injury and vascular disruption. Eventually, all that is left is a small, vascular mass of disorganized neural tissue (cerebrovasculosa) mixed with choroid plexus. The eyes evaginate from the forebrain before it is destroyed and are preserved. The cranial vault is either absent or collapses over the base of the skull. Damage of the hypothalamus results in adrenal hypoplasia. All of which make the condition incompatible with survival.

Photo by : @ramcoabtiza