What causes congenital hydrocephalus?
This condition is caused by an imbalance between how much CSF the brain makes and how well the body is able to process it. Normally, CSF flows through and out of chambers of the brain called ventricles, and then around the brain and spinal cord. The fluid is then absorbed by the thin tissue around the brain and spinal cord. But with hydrocephalus, the fluid can’t move where it needs to or is not absorbed as it should be. And in rare cases, the brain makes too much fluid. Congenital hydrocephalus may happen because of: • Bleeding in the fetus before birth. • Certain infections in the mother, such as toxoplasmosis or syphilis. • Other birth defects, like spina bifida.
