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It depends on who the particular "you" is. For people who have no family history, the worldwide average is about 0.1 - 0.2%, but for those who do have a family history it can be as high as 3% without folic acid supplementation.
In the US, we recommend that all pregnant women, and all women who are considering getting pregnant, take 0.4 mg of folic acid per day. If the woman has a family history of spina bifida or other neural tube defects, we recommend she takes 4 mg per day. This has the effect of lowering the 3% down to 1%.
What else can I help you with?
What effects does vitamin A have on Spina Bifida?
Vitamin A is not known to affect Spina Bifida. There is a correlation between folic acid deficiency in the mother and Spina Bifida in the baby, though.
Is Spina Bifida a late onset disorder?
No, Spina Bifida develops in the first trimester while a baby is in the womb.
Is spina bifida a congenital defect?
Yes. A congenital defect is one the baby is born with, so spina bifida is a congenital defect.
Is diastematomyelia the same as Spina Bifida?
No, scoliosis and spina bifida are not the same. Scoliosis means your spine is crooked. Spina bifida is a birth defect in which the spine does not completely close during the first trimester of the baby's development in the womb, and the baby is born, in the most severe form of spina bifida, with part of the nerves of the spine and even part of the spinal cord itself, outside the body. It is possible to have both scoliosis and spina bifida at the same time, but they are two different conditions.
What has the author Olwen Nettles written?
Olwen Nettles has written: 'The spina bifida baby' -- subject(s): In infancy and childhood, Popular works, Spina bifida
What is the connection between spina bifida and folic acid?
Spina Bifida is an NTD (Neural Tube Defect) affecting the spinal column/cord. Folic Acid, also known as Vitamin B9 is known to help the develop the neural tube (spinal cord and brain) during fetal development. Women of child rearing age who are trying to get pregnant/are pregnant are encouraged to take higher than normal quantities of Folic Acid to help reduce the chances that their baby could have spina bifida. Women should start taking the higher dose at least 3 months before getting pregnant and then throughout their pregnancy, this is especially important for women who have a family history of spina bifida or have spina bifida themselves.
Was Steve Largent's baby born with spina bifida?
Yes, Steve Largent's daughter, who was born in 1980, was diagnosed with spina bifida. This condition is a birth defect that occurs when the spine does not properly close around the spinal cord. Largent and his family have been advocates for awareness and support for individuals with spina bifida since her diagnosis.
Should a woman born with Spina Bifida ever conceive a child?
Yes. Spina Bifida does not effect the reproductive system. If the man can get an erection, he can have children, unless he has a reproductive problem unrelated to Spina Bifida, such as too low of a sperm count.
Is it safe to go in hot springs when pregnant?
No, especially not in the first trimester. It is known to be one of the risk factors for having a baby born with a birth defect called Spina Bifida. Using anything, including a heating pad, on the abdomen area during the first trimester of pregnancy can cause the child to be born with Spina Bifida.
Can a fetus with spina bifida have movement?
Yes, Spina Bifida does not cause total body paralysis. Usually the paralysis is only in the feet and sometimes the legs. So the hands and arms will move just like any other baby's.
Is Spina Bifida inherited or not?
Although doctors are unclear what causes spina bifida, they believe it is a mixture of genetics and environmental factors. Having a parent or sibling with spina bifida slightly increases the chance of a baby being born with a neural tube defect. Most babies with spina bifida are born to parents who have no history of neural tube defects.Folate deficiency (Vitamin B) is a known factor in women giving birth to a baby with a neural tube defect. One of the known preventative measures is to increase the amount of folic acid starting prior to conception. Ask your doctor or midwife if a high dose of folic acid is indicated for you.Spina bifida and other defects can occur before a women knows she is pregnant. Spina Bifida happens in the middle of the 4th week (by day 28) after conception when the two sides of developing fetus fail to develop or close properly, causing defects.A rise in the body temperature of more than four degrees Fahrenheit (2 Celsius) is another known factor in neural tube defects, women who think they may be pregnant are cautioned not to use hot tubs or to soak in a hot bath.Obesity prior to pregnancy and uncontrolled diabetes are another known factor in neural tube defects. As are some prescription medications. Talk to your doctor about any prescription medications you take.We are seeking mothers of children with Spina Bifida to participate in our study:http://www.sbgenetics.org/
How can people avoid getting this Spina Bifida disorder?
There is no means of definitely preventing Spina Bifida, however taking folic acid leading up to and throughout the pregnancy can assist in normal growth of the spinal cord and is therefore a good preventative measure to take. There is about a 0.1-0.2% chance an infant will be diagnosed with Spina Bifida, and not all cases are serious.
