Choris prosopos fetalis: Faceless birth defect

"Choris prosopos fetalis" or absent fetal face is a congenital birth defect that can be classified in the arthrogryposis multiplex congentia. This is the absence of facial bone due to failure of ossification centres, and eventual bone formation. The inability for bone formation results in the malformation of other facial organs like the mouth, nose and eyes.

Choris prosopos fetalis is a very rare form of facial deformity with almost zero survival rate this is very similar to but not Frontonasal Dysplasia, also known as Median Cleft Face Syndrome, is a condition in which the nose has a flat, wide appearance, and the eyes may be wide-set. There is a groove of varying degrees, which runs down the middle of the face across the nose. In some cases the tip of the nose is missing. A gap with extra folds of skin covering it may appear on the front of the head.

Faceless baby at birth

Craniofacial defects are caused by the abnormal growth or development of the head and/or facial bones while the baby is growing inside the mother. The most common defects of the face are cleft lip and cleft palate. Other defects may involve the ears, eyes, and jaw. Craniofacial defects that affect the skull include a skull that is too large (macrocephaly) or too small (microcephaly). Sometimes the bands of tissue that connect the bones of the skull (called sutures) close too early (craniosynostosis).

Front view of faceless baby

Two cases of choris prosopos fetalis has been widely publicised in the philippines and Nigeria. This occurrence of this congenital anomaly is suggested to be one in 20,000 birth defect.

Baby born in Nigeria

At the time of this article no ultrasound image has been acquired.

A malformation is an error in the baby's development that occurs in the womb. Causes of malformations include chromosome abnormalities, single-gene defects, and environmental factors (such as teratogens, which are substances known to cause birth defects). A malformation can also be caused by a combination of genetic and environmental factors. In some cases, the cause is unknown. About 3 to 5% of babies are born with a malformation.