Chiari malformations affect females more often than males.
Scientists once believed that Chiari malformations occurred in only 1 in every 1,000 births. But the increased use of diagnostic imaging techniques such as CT scans and MRIs suggests that the condition may be much more common.
Accurate estimates are difficult to make. That’s because some children who are born with the condition either never develop symptoms or don’t develop symptoms until they reach adolescence or adulthood.
