Neural tube defects happen because the neural tube does not fuse during early embryonic development. Open neural tube defects are those in which the affected region of the neural tube is exposed on ...

When a woman is pregnant, her thoughts tend to focus on the baby's name, the color of the nursery and preparing the home for the new arrival. Most parents-to-be never have to worry about their child ...

Meningomyelocele, also commonly known as myelomeningocele, is a type of spina bifida. Spina bifida is a birth defect in which the spinal canal and the backbone don’t close before the baby is born.

Repair of open neural tube defects, including myelomeningocele, in the fetus has been shown to improve postnatal outcomes by decreasing the severity of hydrocephalus and, consequentially, reducing the ...

Dr. Victor Klein is an OB/GYN with special training in high-risk pregnancies at North Shore University Hospital in New York. Below is the transcript of Susan Dentzer's interview with him. Well, a baby ...

Erin and William Petersen almost didn’t get the ultrasound. You don’t really need it, the doctor told them, but come on in if you like and have a look at your baby. They watched excitedly as the baby, ...

Major congenital anomalies occur in 2% to 3% of live births. Neural tube defects (NTDs), cleft lip and palate, and cardiac anomalies are some of the most common. NTDs are a group of serious birth ...

Folate is a naturally occurring form of vitamin B found in food, while folic acid is synthetically produced and used in fortified foods and supplements. It is well known that taking folic acid before ...

A blood test to measure folate concentrations in a mother's red blood cells could help in the prevention of neural tube birth defects, suggests a large study. A blood test to measure folate ...