Understanding the Outlook
Exploring the Prognosis of Anencephaly
When it comes to pregnancies affected by anencephaly, the prognosis is often disheartening. Miscarriage is a common outcome in many cases. In fact, statistics show that 75% of these pregnancies result in the loss of the baby before birth. If a baby with anencephaly does manage to survive birth, the reality is that their life expectancy is extremely limited. Typically, these babies only live for a few hours after birth, with the longest recorded survival being a mere few days.
What are the Chances of Another Occurrence?
When a woman has already given birth to a baby with anencephaly, her likelihood of having another baby with the same condition or another neural tube defect rises by four to ten percent. If she has had two or more babies affected by anencephaly, the risk of having another one increases to 10 to 13 percent. Couples who have had a child with anencephaly or have a family history of neural tube defects may seek guidance from a genetic counselor to assess the risk for future children.