Folic acid prevents neural tube defects

Birth defects are the leading cause of infant death in the US and the number one cause of childhood disability. Most birth defects can't be prevented but neural tube defects can be prevented by taking folic acid supplements prior to falling pregnant and during the early stages of pregnancy. This can prove difficult as not all pregnancies are planned. Nevertheless, it can be effective even if taken once the pregnancy is discovered. Broader new born screenings are being increasingly implemented in various states. Early diagnosis and treatment of birth defects prevents serious developments such as mental retardation, strokes, blindness or death.

Source: summary of medical news story as reported by Standard Democrat

Related Disease Topics:

• Neural tube defect
• Disability
• Infant death
• Birth defect
• Pregnancy
• Mental retardation
• Stroke
• Blindness
• Death

Article Source Details

About: Folic acid prevents neural tube defects

Date: 6 January 2005

Source: Standard Democrat

Author: Michelle Felter

URL: http://news.mywebpal.com/partners/865/public/news601282.html

Related Medical Topics

This summary article refers to the following medical categories:

• Cause of neural tube defect
• Cause of disability
• Cause of infant death
• Cause of birth defect
• Risk and pregnancy
• Cause of mental retardation
• Cause of stroke
• Cause of blindness
• Cause of death
• Medication
• Medication and neural tube defect
• Medication and disability
• Medication and birth defect
• Medication and pregnancy
• Diagnosis
• Diagnosis and neural tube defect
• Diagnosis and disability
• Diagnosis and infant death
• Diagnosis and birth defect
• Diagnosis and mental retardation
• Diagnosis and stroke
• Diagnosis and blindness
• Diagnosis and death
• Undiagnosed
• Undiagnosed and neural tube defect
• Undiagnosed and disability
• Undiagnosed and infant death
• Undiagnosed and birth defect
• Undiagnosed and mental retardation
• Undiagnosed and stroke
• Undiagnosed and blindness
• Undiagnosed and death

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