Hello! I m a 57 year old woman who was born with Encephalocele contained within the cranial vault. I ve had two middle facia craniomtomies (one for each hemisphere), to help correct this, and am awaiting a third to address some post-operative complications from my last surgery (right side). My Mother wants to know if there was something she did (or didn t) do during her pregnancy with me that would have caused this condition. She did smoke, drink and took 1950 s style diet pills during that pregnancy. Is there a genetic component? No one else in my family has this condition.