Mysterious Rise in Birth-Defects Stump Doctors

Health officials are baffled by a high number of rare birth defects that have hit Washington state. Anencephaly, a rare, tragic birth defect, has caused many infants to be born missing parts of their brains and/or skulls.

A recent investigation of health records in three counties of the area has shown 23 cases of anencephaly between January 2010 and 2013, accounting for approximately 8.4 births out of every 10,000. For this rare disorder, that is four times the normal occurrence, according to CNN. 

During the beginning stages of fetal development, neural tubes form and close to create a working structure of the skull, brain and spinal cord in the future baby. However, for this rare disorder, which typically takes footing during the first month of pregnancy, the skull or brains never fully form and most of the children are stillborn. If not, they die soon after birth.

Health officials note that the lack of medical records have often made it difficult to gain accurate data regarding the problem.

"Medical record reviews might not have captured all information, preventing a cause from being identified," the Department of Health for Washington State noted, via a press release. 

While the exact cause of the neural tube defects are unknown at this time, researchers believe that mothers who are obese, take certain anti-seizure medications or have uncontrolled diabetes may be more likely to have a child at risk for the health defect.