Folic Acid and Birth Defects PreventionYour baby’s health begins even before he or she is formed. Women who would like to become pregnant are advised to take folic acid supplements and continue to consume them during pregnancy, particularly during the first trimester. What is in this nutrient that makes it so vital to a developing fetus? Here’s the truth: All women who become pregnant have a 3% chance that their baby will develop a neural tube defect. A NTD is a condition wherein the neural tube, which is the immature version of the spine, brain and nervous system, does not form properly, so the result is physiological and functional anomalies in the baby’s nervous system. The neural tube develops early during pregnancy, even before a woman discovers she is pregnant. In Canada alone, there are about 260 babies born each year with neural tube defects. Common NTDs are spina bifida, wherein the spine fails to develop so there are physical disabilities and sometimes paralysis. Another is anencephaly, in which the brain does not form completely, or sometimes does not form at all. Babies with anencephaly die after delivery. To ward off that 3% chance, all women are strongly advised to take folic acid, or folate, a form of vitamin B. Folate is crucial in the development of a baby’s nervous system and in the healthy formation of his or her skull, brain, spine and vertebral column. Dietary sources of folate (such as liver and dark green vegetables) are not enough. Women must take a daily vitamin supplement even before they become pregnant, and must be religious in taking this in the first weeks of pregnancy, when the baby’s neural tube is fast forming. Read more of our articles on birth defects
Cerebral Palsy |