The first and foremost thing to be kept in mind to help prevent severe birth defects i
n a baby is to get more of folic acid each day. This should be taken before conception and during early pregnancy. Folic acid is also known as folate and is a B vitamin which is found in leafy green vegetables. This includes spinach, kale, orange juice and enriched grains.
Inefficient folic acid can mean some common neural tube defects. This includes spina bifida which is an incomplete closure of spinal cord and column. Then there is anencephaly and encephalocele which are also common defects in inefficient folic acid. All of such defects can occur during the first twenty eight days of pregnancy and before a woman knows that she is pregnant.
So, it is obligatory that all women who are of child bearing age should get enough of folic acid. Folic acid thus plays a vital role in cell growth and in development of the body and for the tissue formation. Ample folic acid intake is very important for one month before conception and for three months after conception. This can reduce the possibility of having a fetus with neural tube defect.
