The Importance of Folic Acid in Preventing Birth Defects
With more than 60% of pregnancies being reported as ‘unplanned’, a woman’s pre-pregnancy diet becomes more important than ever. According to March of Dimes – an organization dedicated to raising awareness about the causes of birth defects – women in their child-bearing years are lacking in their intake of folic acid. The vitamin, they say, plays a crucial role in preventing birth defects, as it helps with spinal cord development during the first few weeks of pregnancy – often the time a woman does not yet know she is pregnant. "Since the majority of pregnancies are unplanned, it's important that young women pay attention to their eating habits now and follow a well- balanced diet that is rich in folic acid," said Susie Castillo, whose organization, the Grains Food Foundation, is also raising awareness about the benefits of folic acid. "In particular,” Castillo stated, “because Hispanic women are more likely to have a child born with a neural tube defect, it is necessary that they understand the importance of eating folic acid-rich foods like enriched grains to dramatically improve their chances of having a healthy baby some day." In fact, when asked about the role of folic acid in a healthy pregnancy, 26% of non-Hispanic women said they were not aware that the vitamin can prevent birth defects, compared to 36% of Hispanic women who stated the same. "Most women know they should eat a healthy diet during pregnancy, but diet is equally important pre-pregnancy," explained Bruce Young, MD, Silverman Professor of Obstetrics and Gynecology at NYU School of Medicine, Director of the NYU Fetal Therapy Program, and member of the Grain Foods Foundation clinical advisory board. "A woman's diet and lifestyle throughout her child- bearing years have a significant impact on her unborn child. Women should have an ample supply of folic acid before conception. I recommend to my patients of child-bearing age that they follow a sensible diet -- which incorporates foods from all foods groups -- and exercise." Source: PRNewswire.com
January 9, 2007
Canadian Woman Gives Birth to Sextuplets
A Canadian woman has reportedly given birth to the country’s first set of sextuplets – although the woman herself has not issued any statement, resolving instead to maintain her privacy. According to sources, the woman is “resting and doing well” in a Vancouver hospital, while the babies – believed to be four boys and two girls, each weighing in at less than two pounds at birth – are “in fair condition”. The parents, who are Jehovah’s Witnesses, say that while public interest surrounding the births is understandable, they are feeling a little too overwhelmed to comment at the moment. Dr. Christine Derzko, an associate professor of obstetrics, gynecology and internal medicine at the University of Toronto, said this stage of the baby’s development is critical: "At 6 1/2 months, survival is certainly possible, but with multiples, it's difficult because they tend to be small. Of course, I'll keep my fingers crossed for all of them but the likelihood that six will survive at this early stage, when they're multiples, is not great." Source: TheStar.com
January 8, 2007
Simple Test May Predict Preclampsia
British researchers have developed a new, simple test designed to detect preclampsia, a pregnancy complication that results in over 22,000 maternal deaths each year. Traditionally preclampsia could only be detected through an analysis of the pregnant woman’s symptoms, which include: large increases in blood pressure, headaches, blurred or altered vision, abdominal or shoulder pain, nausea and vomiting, confusion, shortness of breath and excessive swelling of the hands and feet. However, now the scientists are saying that by reading protein levels found in urine, they may be able to detect the presence of preclampsia. In their study they measured levels of protein in 27 women with preclampsia against 47 who did not have the condition. They found that among the women with preclampsia, protein levels were several times higher than among those who did not have the disease. Currently the only treatment available to those suffering from the condition is to induce labor early, although this can pose significant risks to the baby. However, this new discovery could pave the way for more effective treatments. Professor Thomas Rademacher of the University College London, said: “Being able to predict the onset of this disease has been the single greatest challenge in obstetric medicine. Preclampsia is the most common of the serious complications that can occur during pregnancy and affects millions of women and children... Now a reliable diagnostic test has been developed, this paves the way for identifying new treatments.”
Source: TimesOnline.co.uk
January 6, 2007
Nicotine Patch May Be Safer During Pregnancy
If you are a smoker, your doctor may advise you to try nicotine patches, rather than call it quits, during pregnancy. Researchers in Alberta, Canada, discovered that after monitoring the fetal development of pregnant mice, "[nicotine] did not have any effect on the weight gain of the mother or how she was eating, or the baby's weight gain or growth." Dr. Shabih Hasan, a professor in pediatrics at the University of Calgary said, "It shows us there are constituents other than nicotine that would lead to the weight decrease in the babies." The researchers addeed: "Our current study has major implications for translational research in developmental toxicology and pharmacotherapy using nicotine replacement treatment as an aid to cessation of cigarette smoking in pregnant mothers," the researchers wrote. Source: CBC.ca
