|
Thursday, 28 February 2008 |
|
More info...
By Beth R Ross
 Good News for all Women: Folic Acid protects
Babies against Neural Tube Defects
According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC), about 1 in 33 babies are born with birth defects in United States each year. A birth defect is a structural, functional or developmental abnormality present at birth that results in physical or mental disability, or death. Several birth defects have been identified, one of which is called neural tube defects (or NTDs).
In United States, 2,500 to 3,000 babies are born with NTDs each year, and an estimated 1,500 pregnancies are terminated because of these defects. NTDs occur in two forms namely spina bifida and anencephaly. Spina bifida occurs when an infants spinal cord is partially exposed due to incomplete closing of the spinal column. Anencephaly, on the other hand, is caused by incomplete closing of the skull which leaves part of the brain exposed.
All infants with anencephaly die before or shortly after birth, whereas most babies born with spina bifida grow to adulthood with varying degrees of paralysis and disability. The annual medical and |
|
Last Updated ( Thursday, 28 February 2008 )
|
|
Read more...
|
