Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. The two most common neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly. In spina bifida, the fetal spinal column doesn't close completely during the first month of pregnancy. There is usually nerve damage that causes at least some paralysis of the legs. In anencephaly, much of the brain does not develop. Babies with anencephaly are either stillborn or die shortly after birth.
Getting enough folic acid, a type of B vitamin, before and during pregnancy prevents most neural tube defects. Treatments for neural tube defects vary depending on the type of defect.
National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
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Neural Tube Defects
(National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nichd.nih.gov/health/topics/neural_tube_defects.cfm
- Neural Tube Defects(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/conditions/neural_tube.html
- B12 Deficit May Boost Risk of Birth Defects(03/02/2009, HealthDay) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/news/fullstory_81194.html
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Low Levels of Vitamin B12 May Increase Risk for Neural Tube Defects
(03/02/2009, National Institute of Child Health and Human Development) - http://www.nih.gov/news/health/mar2009/nichd-02.htm
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Maternal Blood Screening for Birth Defects(March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation) - http://www.marchofdimes.com/professionals/14332_1166.asp
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/centro/9388_9931.asp
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MedlinePlus: Folic Acid
(National Library of Medicine) - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/folicacid.html
Also available in Spanish http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spanish/folicacid.html - Reducing the Risk of a Neural Tube Defect for Families Who Have Had an Affected Pregnancy(Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) - Links to PDF - http://www.nbdpn.org/archives/2005/2005pdf/recurrence.pdf
- Triple Screen or Quad Screen(American Association for Clinical Chemistry) - http://www.labtestsonline.org/understanding/analytes/triple_screen/test.html
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Anencephaly
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/anencephaly/anencephaly.htm
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Cephalic Disorders
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cephalic_disorders/cephalic_disorders.htm
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Cephalic Disorders
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/cephalic_disorders/detail_cephalic_disorders.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/los_trastornos_encefalicos.htm -
Chiari Malformation
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chiari/chiari.htm
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Chiari Malformation
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/chiari/detail_chiari.htm
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/trastornos/malformaciones_de_chiari.htm -
Encephaloceles
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/encephaloceles/encephaloceles.htm
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Hydranencephaly
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/hydranencephaly/hydranencephaly.htm
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Iniencephaly
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/iniencephaly/Iniencephaly.htm
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Tethered Spinal Cord Syndrome
(National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke) - Short Summary - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/disorders/tethered_cord/tethered_cord.htm
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Craniofacial Procedure to Treat Encephalocele and an Arachnoid Cyst(OR-Live) - One hour program - 1/28/2009 - http://www.or-live.com/distributors/NLM-Flash/chh_2494/rnh.cfm?id=831
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Neural Tube Defects
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Neural+Tube+Defects%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Anencephaly
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Anencephaly%22
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ClinicalTrials.gov: Arnold-Chiari Malformation
(National Institutes of Health) - http://clinicaltrials.gov/search/open/condition=%22Arnold-Chiari+Malformation%22
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Folic Acid for the Prevention of Infant Neural Tube Defects: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Recommendation(American College of Physicians) - Links to PDF - http://www.annals.org/cgi/reprint/150/9/I-50.pdf
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Genome-Wide Screen for Neural Tube Defects Reveals Candidate Genes on Chromosomes 7 and 10
(National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences) - http://www.niehs.nih.gov/research/supported/sep/2005/neurtube.cfm
- Article: Body mass index as a predictive value for complications associated... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19303087&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Postural headache. - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19299414&tool=MedlinePlus
- Article: Maternal vitamin B12 status and risk of neural tube defects... - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=Retrieve&db=pubmed&dopt=AbstractPlus&list_uids=19255021&tool=MedlinePlus
- Neural Tube Defects -- see more articles - http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/sites/entrez?cmd=search&db=pubmed&term=neural+tube+defects[majr]+NOT+spinal+dysraphism[majr]+AND+humans[mh]+AND+english[la]+AND+(jsubsetaim[text]+OR+jsubsetk[text]+OR+patient+education+handout[pt]+OR+jsubsetn[text]+OR+guideline[pt])+NOT+(letter[pt]+OR+editorial[pt])&doptcmdl=summary&cmd_current=Limits&pmfilter_EDatLimit=last+1+Year&tool=MedlinePlus
- AAP Pediatrician Referral Service(American Academy of Pediatrics) - http://www.aap.org/referral/
- Find a Board-Certified Neurosurgeon(American Association of Neurological Surgeons, Congress of Neurological Surgeons) - http://www.neurosurgerytoday.org/findaneuro/
- Find a Neurologist(American Academy of Neurology) - http://www.thebrainmatters.org/index.cfm?key=1.2.2
- National Society of Genetic Counselors, Inc. Search(National Society of Genetic Counselors) - http://www.nsgc.org/resourcelink.cfm
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March of Dimes Birth Defects Foundation - http://www.marchofdimes.com/
Also available in Spanish http://www.nacersano.org/
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National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
- http://www.nichd.nih.gov/
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National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke
- http://www.ninds.nih.gov/
Also available in Spanish http://espanol.ninds.nih.gov/
- Trends in Spina Bifida and Anencephalus in the United States, 1991-2006(National Center for Health Statistics) - http://www.cdc.gov/nchs/products/pubs/pubd/hestats/spine_anen.htm
- Head and Brain Malformations - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/headandbrainmalformations.html
- Hydrocephalus - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/hydrocephalus.html
- Spina Bifida - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/spinabifida.html
- Brain and Nerves - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/brainandnerves.html
- Genetics/Birth Defects - http://www.nlm.nih.gov/medlineplus/geneticsbirthdefects.html
The primary NIH organization for research on Neural Tube Defects is the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke - http://www.ninds.nih.gov/