#anencephaly

• Anencephalic — A medical term describing a fetus, newborn, or individual affected by anencephaly, a severe congenital malformation characterized by the partial or total absence of the brain, meninges, and skull bones. As an adjective, it refers to any biological structure or organism exhibiting this profound developmental defect of the anterior neural tube.
• Anencephalic — Pertaining to anencephaly or relating to this severe congenital malformation; characteristic of an organism partially or totally lacking a brain and the bony elements of the cranial vault. The term clinically, structurally, or pathologically describes the manifestations and tissues associated with this major neural tube defect.
• Anencephaly — An extremely severe, lethal congenital malformation characterized by the total or partial absence of the cerebral hemispheres, cerebellum, and cranial vault, caused by the failure of the anterior neuropore to close during embryogenesis (days 23-26). This major structural condition is incompatible with long-term survival, with most cases resulting in stillbirth or death shortly after birth.