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In Loving Memory of... |
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What went wrong? Anencephaly awareness |
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The neural tube is a narrow sheath that folds and closes between the third and fourth weeks of pregnancy to
form the brain and spinal cord of the baby. When the head end of the neural tube fails to close, it results in a major absence
of the brain, skull, and scalp, which is called Anencephaly.
Babies with this disorder are born without a brain in the front and a cerebrum. The remaining brain tissue
is often exposed. The baby is usually blind, deaf, unconscious, or unable to feel any pain. Reflexes such as respiration and
responses to touch or sound may occur.
There is no treatment for anencephaly. If the baby is not stillborn he or she will usually die within a few
hours or days after birth. About 25% live 3-5 days.
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Some studies suggest that folic acid may also protect women and men from heart disease, stroke, colon cancer and breast
cancer.
What you can do: Take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid every day before pregnancy and during early pregnancy,
as part of a healthy diet.
Eat a healthy diet that includes foods that contain folate, the natural form of the vitamin. Such foods include fortified
breakfast cereals, dried beans, leafy green vegetables and orange juice.
If you have already had a pregnancy affected by a birth defect of the brain or spinal cord, ask your health care provider
how much folic acid you need. Studies have shown that taking a larger dose of folic acid daily can reduce the risk of having
another affected pregnancy. The larger dose needs to be taken at least one month before pregnancy and in the first trimester
of pregnancy. The recommended dose is 4 milligrams (4,000 micrograms).
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