Impact of Maternal Nutrition on Birth Defects Prevention

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Nutrition is important during the period of pregnancy and has special significance for the mother’s nutrition. Some nutrient intakes have been found to reduce the risk of multiple congenital anomalies by a very large measure, and these are associated with the general health, development status, and quality of life of the child. Perhaps one of the most striking examples of an association between nutrient intake and the prevention of birth defects is the role of folic acid in the prevention of NTDs in neonates. Drawing from this concept of diet and using recent research and understanding of diet during pre and post-conception, this article begins to explore aspects of maternal diet, the relationship between fortified foods and supplements, and the probability of birth defects.  

Understanding Birth Defects 

Congenital anomalies are abnormalities of structure and/or function that occur during intrauterine development. They can be minor to severe and may involve virtually every organ and system of the human body, including the central nervous system, cardiovascular system, muscular system, etc. The etiology of these defects is genetic-environmental and appears to have a strong nutritional component.  

We continue to assess the use of folic acid and its function. 

Folic acid, a man-made form of folate, an A vitamin that is present in natural food products, has been the subject of quite several clinical trials on its use in the prevention of NTDs like spina bifida and anencephaly. Neural tube defects begin during the first few weeks of pregnancy, sometimes even before women know they are pregnant, making it very vital for all women of childbearing age to take sufficient folic acid before they get pregnant. The mode of action of folic acid to afford protection is through the formation of DNA as well as the repair of DNA and RNA, and it helps to build and develop the placenta and the fetus at a faster rate than the rest of the body. 

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Why a Balanced Diet 

Although folic acid is the most recognized nutrient that prevents birth defects, other nutrients also have responsibilities. For instance, vitamin B12, vitamin C, vitamin E, and zinc are relevant in fetal development. It is also known that vitamin B12 collaborates with folic acid to form the neural tube and other related developmental structures. Lack of the nutrients so important for the growth of a fetus can lead to damage that would cause birth defects. 

Research has been made on different aspects of nutrients on a case-by-case basis. 

Newer data indicate that a variety of birth malformations have been considerably reduced among pregnant women who consume foods with fortification or supplements containing folate acid. Where natural diets are boosted with extra foods that are rich in iron and calcium, there is a marked improvement in the results of pregnancies, with low occurrences of birth irregularities. 

Dietary Recommendations 

This factsheet is about folic acid, in which it is advised that women of reproductive age, especially pregnant women, should take at least 400 mcg daily and 600 mcg while pregnant. They are food products in the form of green leafy vegetables, fruits, especially orange fruits, and other products such as dried beans and cereals, which are usually fortified with folic acid. However, since the time for folic acid intake to prevent birth defects of the neural tube is very short, it is advised that supplementation be started before conception. 

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Challenges and Considerations 

It is, however, a challenge to guarantee that all women take sufficient folic acid before and during pregnancy, given the known advantages. Essential nutrients’ intake levels depend on the population’s cultural dietary practices, SES, and access to fortified foods. This is perhaps the role that education has in eradicating these barriers for healthcare providers to educate expectant mothers on the importance of nutrition. 

Future Directions 

Further studies are required to shed more light on the diet taken by mothers and the resultant birth defects. Large-scale epidemiologic investigations, when done in large-sample studies of diet and birth outcomes, can fine-tune dietary advice and reduce the risk of birth defects. Furthermore, the investigation of other nutrients through the interaction between those nutrients and folic acid could offer more information on the strategy of prenatal nutrients. 

Conclusion

Nutrition during pregnancy plays a very crucial role in fetal development, and it is beyond any debate that nutritional interventions during pregnancy are crucial in the prevention of birth defects. Of them, folic acid has been identified as having significantly lowered the risk of neural tube defects with a sufficient intake taken prior to and during the initial trimester of pregnancy. It is therefore important that all women of childbearing age ensure that they can get the right information and products when it comes to a quality diet to help them make the right choices to produce healthy future generations.

References

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  6. Tinker, S.C., Hamner, H.C., Qi, Y.P. and Crider, K.S., 2015. US women of childbearing age who are at possible increased risk of a neural tube defect‐affected pregnancy due to suboptimal red blood cell folate concentrations, National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007 to 2012. Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology, 103(6), pp.517-526.
  7. Pfeiffer, C.M., Hughes, J.P., Lacher, D.A., Bailey, R.L., Berry, R.J., Zhang, M., Yetley, E.A., Rader, J.I., Sempos, C.T. and Johnson, C.L., 2012. Estimation of trends in serum and RBC folate in the US population from pre-to postfortification using assay-adjusted data from the NHANES 1988–2010. The Journal of nutrition, 142(5), pp.886-893.

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