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Lifestyle

Maternal smoking, passive smoking boost risk of neural tube defects

A Texas study of 1,041 neural tube defect cases and 5,862 control births found mothers exposed only to secondhand smoke were 70% more likely to have an affected baby. The authors note that evidence for an independent effect of cigarette smoke on these defects has been mixed.

Vitamins

Prenatal Vitamin B12 deficiency raises risk of birth defect

In 1,200 Irish women studied in Pediatrics, those with vitamin B12 in the lowest quartile were five times more likely to have a baby with a neural tube defect; the authors suggest keeping levels above 300 ng/L before pregnancy. PCRM notes vegans can meet the need with supplements.

Mar 2, 2009

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