Spina bifida, a malformation of the spinal cord, affects more than 450 children each year in France. In prevention, the consumption of folic acid is recommended before conception and at the beginning of pregnancy.
- This malformation of the spine has serious intestinal, urinary and cognitive consequences
- To avoid this malformation, folic acid is recommended for pregnant women
“Spina bifida”… behind this strange Latin-sounding name hides a malformation not so rare in newborns and highly disabling, since it designates a malformation in infants leaving the lower spine bare. This disability can have serious consequences on the digestive and urinary systems, as well as the cognitive and motor functions of the child.
According to doctors, the risk of this malformation occurs between the 15th and 30th day after conception. It is through a complex process of formation of the neural tube, the premise of the brain and spinal cord, that spina bifida can manifest.
In this specific case, the formation of the neural tube is interrupted and creates a form of bubble in the back of the fetus, which appears to the naked eye once the child has come into the world. Since spina bifida is a closing defect in the rear part of one or more vertebrae, this malformation leaves the contents of the spine unprotected (meninges, spinal cord, nerve roots, etc.).
Risks reduced by 70% thanks to folic acid
To avoid this, pregnant women are recommended to take folic acid daily during the first trimester of pregnancy, as well as before conception. This vitamin B9 has indeed demonstrated its effectiveness in reducing the appearance of spina bifida, up to 70% according to scientific literature.
“The effectiveness of folic acid was proven almost 40 years ago. From that moment on, a real prevention effort was made by practically all the countries of the world, followed by a decrease in the incidence of the malformation“, explains Professor Zerah to the magazine Science and Future.
Folic acid is not only known to protect against the risk of spina bifida. According to a study published in 2017, the consumption of at least 800 micrograms of folic acid during pregnancy would eliminate the risk of autism linked to the exposure of the fetus to pesticides.
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