But your future child doesn t have to be a statistic. Taking a daily multivitamin with at least 400 micrograms of folic acid and beginning a diet rich in folates before you get pregnant can prevent up to 80 percent of NTDs. You can get your folic acid intake through common foods like peanuts, whole-wheat bread, and orange juice. It s not difficult to get enough folic acid for your body, and you could be unsuspectingly saving your baby s life.
Mothers planning a pregnancy are generally careful about their health.
Around the 21st day of development, the neural tube closes to form the spinal cord and brain. In NTD-affected pregnancies, the neural tube doesn t close completely, causing serious and permanent damage to the baby. Seventy-five percent of these pregnancies end in miscarriage or stillbirth.