Glasgow suffers one of the highest prevalence rates of congenital neural tube defects in the world. There have been reports of a long-term decline in the prevalence of neural tube defects although the reasons for it are unclear. Anencephaly is always fatal while, even with active treatment, spina bifida is associated with high rates of early infant mortality and a high degree of physical and mental impairment in the survivors. Antenatal screening followed by induced abortion is the only available means of avoiding such births
