Getting Brain Defects During Pregnancy!

The holistic development of a baby inside a mother's womb is probably one of the greatest responsibilities ever to befall on any woman. It is a task that entails a lot of sacrifices and hardships that promises a great reward at the end. Yes, being a pregnant mom could be the most exhilarating as well as the most daunting task a woman has to face and it is not one that comes without worries and fears. This is because it is always a mother's fear to bear a child that could come out with serious defects to its physical appearance as well as to mental capabilities. Mothers always dread having a child born with the worst defects of all, which are the defects of the brain.

Because of this fear, most mothers take care in avoiding things that could bring about brain defects in their children and the time that they do this is when these babies are still inside the womb. They take great care in seeing to it that they follow doctor's instructions when it comes to the proper diet and the prenatal vitamins that they must take. These mothers see to it that they take in the proper amounts of vitamin and minerals as well as other nutrients that are very essential for their babies to avoid getting brain defects.

One of the most essential nutrient that an expectant mother should take, which plays a great role in the development of an unborn baby's brain as well as his spinal cord, is the folic acid. While this nutrient could be sourced from a variety of foods, pregnant moms are always advised to take prenatal vitamins containing the prescribed amount of this vitamin. This is to ensure that the risk of acquiring neural tube defects can be avoided. These defects, which are due to the underdevelopment of the brain and the spine, can result in paralysis as well as mental retardation, which is one of the worst cases of brain defects.

Aside from the proper intake of folic acid, there are also other things that an expectant mother could do to make sure that her child is born without brain defects. One of these is to refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages. This, as studies have shown that alcoholic drinking during pregnancy, heightens the risk of brain defects on babies. A baby could also develop brain damage if his or her mother use illegal drugs when she was pregnant. This brain defect could be experienced by the baby on top of other birth defects.