CNS findings in iniencephaly: Case report and literature review

A male iniencephalic foetus of about 25 weeks gestation is described. The b aby was born to a 22-year-old mother, who presented with abdominal pain of 1 day duration. An ultrasound scan at that time showed multiple foetal anom alies and the pregnancy was terminated. A stillborn baby was delivered. At autopsy, characteristic findings of iniencephaly were seen in the dysmorphi c foetus as well as multiple structural abnormalities. The autopsy results, with emphasis on the neuropathological findings, are described and various hypotheses of the pathogenesis of iniencephaly are discussed with referenc e to theories of embryological development and other cases in the literatur e.