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During Pregnancy
During pregnancy, there are screening tests (prenatal tests) to check for birth defects and other conditions. Anencephaly would result in an abnormal result on a blood or serum screening test or it might be seen during an ultrasound (which creates pictures of the body). For more information about screening and confirmatory tests during pregnancy, visit CDC’s birth defects diagnosis web page.
After the Baby is Born
In some cases, anencephaly might not be diagnosed until after the baby is born. Anencephaly is immediately seen at birth.
Treatments
There is no known cure or standard treatment for anencephaly. Almost all babies born with anencephaly will die shortly after birth.
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