South African baby with brain outside his head dies

Jul 30, 2012 |

JOHANNESBURG

A South African doctor says a baby born with his brain outside his head has died after being alive for three weeks.

A doctor on duty when the baby died said on Monday that Sibusiso Mokoena's condition, known as anencephaly, was the cause of his death.

Dr Ntumda Mutondo told the media that she performed CPR on the infant, but couldn't revive him.

Mutondo said the infant died on Wednesday.

Sibusiso, known in South Africa as Baby Mokoena, was born on July 4.

Babies born with anencephaly do not usually survive long. Doctors say some of the main causes of the condition are vitamin and folic acid deficiencies during pregnancy.

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