Definition
Number of children with anencephaly delivered per 10,000 live births and stillbirths to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.Numerator
Number of children with anencephaly delivered among live births and stillbirths to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.Denominator
Count of all live births and stillbirths to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.Why Is This Important?
Anencephaly is a serious and rare birth defect which occurs when an embryo's neural tube fails to close during the first month of pregnancy. As a result, major portions of the brain, skull, and scalp fail to develop. A baby born with anencephaly may be stillborn or die within a few hours or days after birth.
The cause of anencephaly is unknown, but it is hypothesized that a mother's diet and vitamin intake play a role. Recent studies have shown that addition of folic acid to the diet of females of childbearing age may significantly reduce the overall incidence of neural tube defects.