“There are several types of glaucoma. The two main types are open-angle and angle-closure. These are marked by an increase of intraocular pressure (IOP), or pressure inside the eye.  The most common type in the United States is called open-angle glaucoma — that’s what most people mean when they talk about glaucoma. The drainage angle formed by the cornea and iris remains open, but the trabecular meshwork is partially blocked. This causes pressure in the eye to gradually increase. This pressure damages the optic nerve. ”

Glaucoma Research Foundation (www.glaucoma.org)

“If the heart valves can’t open and close correctly, blood can’t flow smoothly. Heart valve problems include valves that are narrowed and don’t open completely (stenosis) or valves that don’t close completely (regurgitation). Examples of these problems would  be congenital heart valve problems.”

MAYO CLINIC

“Valvular heart disease (VHD) is a major cause of morbidity and premature death from cardiovascular diseases, making it an important clinical entity. Despite a dramatic decline in the incidence of rheumatic heart disease in industrialized countries, VHD remains highly prevalent. Although many VHDs are acquired during adult life, familial clustering and heritability have been noted for common heart valve defects.”

American Heart Association Journal (ahajournal.org)

“The CDC says that all women of reproductive age consume 400 mcg of folic acid, and pregnant women consume 600 mcg, each day to prevent two types of neural tube defects. During Folic Acid Awareness Week, observed January 3-9, 2021 (as well as the entire month for National Birth Defects Prevention Month), WIC staff are encouraged to take the opportunity to enhance their efforts to educate moms about the role folic acid plays in preventing congenital disabilities, & how their WIC food packages include folic acid-rich foods.  WIC staff can brush up on folic acid basics and find educational resources via Eye on Nutrition: Folate and Folic Acid.”

USDA WIC Works Resource System/U.S. Department of Agriculture

“Folic acid is a B-vitamin that is necessary for proper cell growth. If taken before and during early pregnancy, folic acid can prevent up to 70% of some serious birth defects of the brain and spine, called neural tube defects.”

National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN)

“Encephalocele is a sac-like protrusion or projection of the brain and the membranes that cover it through an opening in the skull. Encephalocele happens when the neural tube does not close completely during pregnancy.”

Centers for Disease Protection and Control CDC

What is Encephalocele?

Openings in the brain that will allow sac like protrusions causing:

Facts on Encephalocele:

Encephalocele is a rare type of birth defect of the neural tube that affects the brain. The neural tube is a narrow channel that folds and closes during the third and fourth weeks of pregnancy to form the brain and spinal cord. Encephalocele is a sac-like protrusion or projection of the brain and the membranes that cover it through an opening in the skull. Encephalocele happens when the neural tube does not close completely during pregnancy. The result is an opening anywhere along the center of the skull from the nose to the back of the neck, but most often at the back of the head (pictured), at the top of the head, or between the forehead and the nose.

Occurrence

CDC estimates that approximately 1 in 12,200 babies born in the United States each year will have encephalocele. This means that about 340 U.S. babies are born with this condition each year.¹

Causes

Although the exact cause of encephalocele is unknown, scientists believe that many factors are involved.

There is a genetic (inherited) component to the condition, meaning it often occurs in families that have family members with other defects of the neural tube: spina bifida and anencephaly. Some researchers also believe that certain environmental exposures before or during pregnancy might be causes, but more research is needed. CDC works with many other researchers to study factors that can

• Increase the risk of having a baby with encephalocele, or
• Impact the health outcomes of babies with encephalocele.

The following is an example of what CDC researchers have found:

• Several factors appear to lead to lower survival rates for infants with encephalocele, including preterm (early) birth, low birthweight, having multiple birth defects, or being black or African American.

CDC continues to study birth defects, such as encephalocele, and how to prevent them. For example, taking 400 micrograms of the B vitamin, folic acid, every day before and during early pregnancy can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine, such as encephalocele. If you are pregnant or thinking about becoming pregnant, talk with your doctor about ways to increase your chances of having a healthy baby.

Diagnosis

Usually encephaloceles are found right after birth, but sometimes a small encephalocele in the nose and forehead region can go undetected. An encephalocele at the back of the skull is more likely to cause nervous system problems, as well as other brain and face defects. Signs of encephalocele can include

• Buildup of too much fluid in the brain,
• Complete loss of strength in the arms and legs,
• An unusually small head,
• Uncoordinated use of muscles needed for movement, such as those involved in walking and reaching,
• Developmental delay,
• Intellectual disability,
• Vision problems,
• Delayed growth, and
• Seizures.

Treatment

Encephalocele is treated with surgery to place the protruding part of the brain and the membranes covering it back into the skull and close the opening in the skull. However, neurologic problems caused by the encephalocele will still be present. Long-term treatment depends on the child’s condition. Multiple surgeries may be needed, depending on the location of the encephalocele and the parts of the head and face that were affected by the encephalocele.

Resources for Families and Individuals Affected by Encephalocele

National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke

National Organization for Rare Disorders

References

1. Parker SE, Mai CT, Canfield MA, Rickard R, Wang Y, Meyer RE, Anderson P, Mason CA, Collins JS, Kirby RS, Correa A. Updated national birth prevalence estimates for selected birth defects in the United States, 2004–2006. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol. 2010 Dec 1;88(12):1008-16.
2. Wang Y, Liu G, Canfield MA, Mai CT, Gilboa SM, Meyer RE, Anderka M, Copeland
   GE, Kucik JE, Nembhard WN, Kirby RS; National Birth Defects Prevention Network. Racial/ethnic differences in survival of United States children with birth defects: a population-based study. J Pediatr. 2015 Apr;166(4):819-26.e1-2.
3. Siffel C, Wong LC, Olney RS, Correa A. Survival of infants diagnosed with encephalocele in Atlanta, 1978-98. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. 2003;17:40-8.

“At one time, cervical cancer was considered one of the most serious cancers for women. But thanks to effective screening with the vaginal Pap smear (also called a Pap test), which can detect cervical precancers and cancers early on, most of the more than 12,000 Americans diagnosed annually with this illness can be cured.”

Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center

“Human papillomavirus (HPV) is the most commonly sexually-transmitted infection in the US and is the cause of almost all cervical cancers in women. Nearly 80 million individuals in the US, most in their teens and early 20s, are infected with HPV …”

National Foundation for Infectious Diseases