Geographic and ethnic differences influence the incidence of anencephaly. This study was undertaken to assess the influence of such differences on the endocrine defects associated with anencephaly. All endocrine and exo-endocrine glands of ten human anencephalic monsters, conceived and born of South Indian parents in South India, and control specimens were subjected to microanatomical examination. The gonads were not found to be hypoplastic or reduced in weight even in a single case. It has been suggested that this discrepancy in gonadal findings may be due to climatic or ethnic differences.