Latest Neural tube defect Stories

(Ivanhoe Newswire) "“ There are nearly 3,000 pregnancies each year in the United States where babies have birth defects of the brain and spine known as neural tube defects (NTD). Hispanic women have the highest rate of these defects when compared to other ethnic groups. However, according to the March of Dimes, a new initiative could decrease the rate of neural tube defects by fortifying corn masa flour with the B vitamin folic acid.Though, since 1998 the rate of birth defects of the brain...

Initiative could decrease the rate of neural tube defects among Hispanic womenFortifying corn masa flour with the B vitamin folic acid could prevent more serious birth defects of the brain and spine in the Hispanic community, according to a March of Dimes commentary published in the American Journal of Public Health.Fortification of enriched cereal grains such as bread and pasta with folic acid was mandated by the Food & Drug Administration (FDA) beginning in 1998. Since then, the rate of...

Initiative Could Decrease the Rate of Neural Tube Defects Among Hispanic Women WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., June 16, 2011 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Fortifying corn masa flour with the B vitamin folic acid could prevent more serious birth defects of the brain and spine in the Hispanic community, according to a March of Dimes commentary published in the American Journal of Public Health. Fortification of enriched cereal grains such as bread and pasta with folic acid was mandated by the Food &...

Women who do not take them early are nearly twice as likely to have children with autismWomen who reported not taking a daily prenatal vitamin immediately before and during the first month of pregnancy were nearly twice as likely to have a child with an autism spectrum disorder as women who did take the supplements "” and the associated risk rose to seven times as great when combined with a high-risk genetic make-up, a study by researchers at the UC Davis MIND Institute has...

Bioavailability of folic acid found to be similar in both formulationsFolic acid, an essential vitamin formulated to be part of a multivitamin + DHA liquid softgel capsule, is absorbed and available within the body in amounts similar to folic acid formulated for solid tablets, according to a study presented in a late breaking session at the Experimental Biology (EB) 2011 annual meeting. Different formulations, fillers and coatings of vitamin products may affect the degree or rate at which the...

As lawsuits against the makers of the epilepsy drug Depakote begin to surface in the United States, Depakote lawyers begin to consult with families of birth defect victims about possible Depakote lawsuits. Depakote is a prescription anticonvulsant used to treat epilepsy and the manic phase of bipolar disorder. Depakote Birth Injury Resources provides online information about possible Depakote birth defects and means to connect with Depakote lawyers. (PRWEB) March 26, 2011 As new...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y. and WAYNE, N.J., March 15, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Vanessa Minnillo is making it a priority to share an important public health message with women nationwide. Minnillo is working with March of Dimes® and Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals to help educate all women of reproductive age about the importance of folate and folic acid through a national educational campaign called Girlfriends for Folate (www.GirlfriendsforFolate.com). DailyCandy.com, the popular and trendy online...

Authors stress more research needs to be done to determine whether supplement that prevents spina bifida causes cancer in humansThe daughters of rats who took folic acid supplements before conception, during pregnancy and while breast-feeding have breast cancer rates twice as high as other rats, according to a new study.They also had more tumours and developed them at a faster rate, according to the study led by Dr. Young-in Kim, a gastroenterologist at St. Michael's Hospital in Toronto.Kim...

Study shows risky knowledge gapsNutrients, vitamins, minerals "“ during pregnancy a woman's body needs more of them. For most nutrients this increase in demand can be covered with a balanced diet. However, mothers-to-be should ingest some nutrients in the form of tablets. Research conducted by the Chair of Nutritional Medicine at the Technische Universitaet Muenchen (TUM) indicates there are knowledge gaps: According to this study, pregnant women often start taking sensible dietary...

WHITE PLAINS, N.Y., Jan. 3, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- This January, as part of National Birth Defects Prevention Month, the Grain Foods Foundation has partnered with the March of Dimes to remind all women of child-bearing age of the important role folic acid plays in preventing birth defects. Daily consumption of the B vitamin folic acid, beginning before pregnancy, is crucial as neural tube defects, birth defects of the brain and spine such as spina bifida, can occur in the early weeks...