Tag: birth defects
More Evidence Prenatal Folic Acid May Lower Autism Risk
More evidence suggests that prenatal folic acid supplementation may lower the risk of developing autism. A population-based cohort study of almost 85,000 children in Norway showed that those children whose mothers used supplemental folic acid early in pregnancy had 39% lower odds of having autistic disorder than those whose mothers did not use the supplements….
Read MoreVitamin D Deficiency in Pregnancy Linked to Low Birth Weight
Vitamin D levels in early pregnancy are closely related to birth weight, head circumference and ponderal index, but not placental growth, in term infants, according to a study published online November 16 and in the January 2013 issue of the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism. Alison D. Gernand, PhD, MPH, a postdoctoral associate in the Department of…
Read MoreH1N1 Vaccine Safe in Pregnancy
July 10, 2012 — Exposure to adjuvanted influenza A(H1N1) vaccine before birth does not increase the risk for major birth defects, preterm birth, or fetal growth restriction, according to a study published in the July 10 issue of JAMA. Pregnant women face elevated risk for severe illness, death, and poor pregnancy outcome from influenza, and the…
Read MoreLess Folic Acid in Pregnancy Tied to Autism: Study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) Jun 06 – In a new study from California, mothers of children with autism recalled getting less folic acid through food and supplements early in their pregnancies than mothers whose kids didn’t develop the disorder. Meeting recommendations for folic acid — at least 600 mcg per day — in the first…
Read MoreMore Evidence Folic Acid Prevents Birth Defects
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – A new study finds that South Carolina’s rate of spina bifida and similar birth defects fell substantially after more women began taking folic acid — adding to evidence of the B vitamin’s benefits during pregnancy. Since 1998, the U.S. has required manufacturers to add folic acid to enriched flours, breads,…
Read MoreSmoking in Early Pregnancy Linked to Infant Heart Defects
Smoking in early pregnancy may raise the risk for certain congenital heart defects (CHD) in infants, according to the results of an analysis from the Baltimore-Washington Infant Study reported online February 28 and in the March print issue of Pediatrics. “Maternal smoking during pregnancy has been implicated as a possible risk factor for birth defects, but…
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