The congenital condition resulting from failure of neural tissue to close properly during early pregnancy, with spina bifida as the most common example, is categorized as which term?

• A. Spina bifida
• B. Transient ischemic attack
• C. Tourette syndrome
• D. Spinal cord defects

Answer: (D)

Failure of neural tissue to close during early fetal development leads to neural tube defects. Spina bifida is the most common example of this group, illustrating how incomplete closure along the spine causes congenital problems. The category that best fits the description is neural tube defects, because it specifically names the prenatal failure of the neural tube to close properly. “Spinal cord defects” is a broader label and doesn’t pinpoint the closure failure mechanism, while the other options are unrelated to prenatal neural development.