According to the Encyclopædia Britannica (2014), a neural tube defect is “any congenital defect of the brain and spinal cord as a result of abnormal development of the neural tube.” This birth defect is “the most common congenital defect of the central nervous system, affecting the brain and/or spinal cord of 300,000 newborns worldwide each year” (Ricks et al., 2012, p. 391). The exact cause of these central nervous system defects is unknown, but there are many contributing factors that are evidenced to assist in the prevention of such a disorder. I will examine the varying types of neural tube defect, populations in which this defect is most prevalent, possible causes of the defect, and how this defect affects the healthcare system.
During fetal growth, the neural tube can develop any number of abnormalities. These “malformations occur because the tube fails to close properly, because parts of it are missing, or because part of the tube is blocked” (neural tube defect, 2014). Ramírez-Altamirano et al. (2012) have stated that “the most common types of neural tube defect are anencephaly, spina bifida, and encephalocele, all of which represent 95% of the cases.” Anencephaly is the most severe form of neural tube defect. In this condition the cephalic portion of the neural tube fails to close properly, resulting in very little cerebral tissue forming. Infants born with this defect are usually stillborn or live for a very short amount of time. Spina bifida consists of “a group of malformations of the spine in which the posterior portion of the bony canal containing the spinal cord is completely or partially absent” (Frazier & Drzymkowski, 2013, p. 63). This condition typically affects the lumbar portion of the neural tube, a...
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...vet-Chiñas, E., Harp-Iturribarria, F., Martínez-Cruz, R., Cruz, P., & … Pérez-Campos, E. (2012). The relationship of aluminum and silver to neural tube defects; a Case control. Iranian Journal of Pediatrics, 22(3), 369-374.
Ricks, D. J., Rees, C. A., Osborn, K. A., Crookston, B. T., Leaver, K., Merrill, S. B., & … Ricks, J. H. (2012). Peru’s national folic acid fortification program and its effect on neural tube defects in Lima. Pan American Journal of Public Health, 32(6), 391-398.
Suarez, L., Felkner, M., Brender, J., & Canfield, M. (2012). Dieting to lose weight and occurrence of neural tube defects in offspring of Mexican-American women. Maternal & Child Health Journal, 16(4), 844-849. doi:10.1007/s10995-011-0806-9
Vats, R., Sharma, R. K., & Sharma, A. A. (2012). Implications of zinc on fetal neural tube defects. Internet Journal of Medical Update, 7(2), 19-24.
Beginning the case study, we are introduced with the call from the British Medical Research Council (MRC) being informed of the significant results showing the benefits of folic acid and the reductions of NTS’s. The next step for the United States was to decide amongst the CDC and the FDA on the best way to implement these results to women of childbearing age. At that point in time, there were only a few ways to ingest folic acid, which brought
It is the mildest form resulting in a small separation or gap in one or more vertebrae’s of the spine. This type no signs or symptoms and experience no neurological problems. However, visible indications of Spina bifida occulta can sometimes be seen on the newborn's skin above the spinal defect, including an abnormal tuft of hair, a collection of fat and a small dimple or birthmark. Many people who have Spina bifida occulta are unaware, unless the condition is discovered during an X-ray or other imaging test done for other unrelated reasons.
8) Meiri, H., Banin, E., Roll, M., Rousseau, A. Toxic Effects of Aluminum on Nerve Cells and Synaptic Transmission. Progress in Neurobiology, 40: 89-121 (1993).
There is a low susses rate for a child of a maternal brain dead mother for the baby to live. When a woman is declared brain dead they are sent for burial or other final respects. In this case, however, the woman is pregnant and there is a fetus to think about. The problem lies with the susses rate of the child be born or being born without any complications. There are only 5 reported successful cases of brain death births (Lsaacson et al. 1996). The body at this point is just used for an incubator for the unborn child. The rate for the child to come out with no complications or in the body of the mother to produce complications is less than 10% (Lsaacson et al. 1996). Knowing all of this, why would one want to put their body through all of this for such a low success rate with current medical technologies.
Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a condition marked by impaired muscle coordination and other disabilities, which causes damage to the brain before and during birth. Cerebral palsy is a static disorder of the brain, not a progressive disorder. This mean that the disorder or disease process will not get worse as time goes on. Nor are the motor disorders associated with cerebral palsy temporary. (Miller and Bachrach pg. 3) Cerebral Palsy affects the nervous system by having dysfunctions, in movements such as, learning, hearing, seeing, and thinking. During the first 3 to 5 years of a child's life Cerebral Palsy occur because the baby's brain is still developing. (CP is one of the most common congenital (existing before birth or at birth) disorders of childhood). Spastic, athetoid, ataxic and dystonic are all different types of Cerebral Palsy. Majority of circumstances with children having CP are unknown, then again numerous results show problems during pregnancy in which the brain is damaged or doesn't develop normally. “This can be due to infections, maternal health problems, a genetic disorder, or something else that interferes with normal brain development.” Cerebral palsy is also caused by injuries and abnormalities of the brain; as the baby grows in the womb these problems occur. Some causes may lead to problems with brain development which include:
First let’s discuss what anencephaly is. Anencephaly is a serious birth defect in which a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull. This birth defect happens during the first month of pregnancy and usually before a woman knows she is pregnant. Anencephaly happens if the upper part of the neural tube does
According to a survey on childhood obesity (2014), “an estimated 80% of overweight adolescents continue to be obese into adulthood, so the implications of childhood obesity on the nation’s health are huge.” Obesity is a chronic condition that develops as a result of genetic, behavioral, and environmental factors. There are many factors that may influence the occurrence of obesity in children, including genetics, unhealthy home environments, the education system, and the food industry. Research has shown that genetics can play a significant role in the development of obesity in children, with studies indicating that a child’s chances of being overweight or obese are increased by 25 percent if their parents are overweight or obese. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2015) states that “the latest study from Stanford University has found that having overweight parents is the biggest risk factor for childhood obesity” (para 1).
19. Benn PA, Borgida A, Horne D, Briganti S, Collins R, Rodis J. Down syndrome and neural tube defect screening: the value of using gestational age by ultrasonography. Am J Obstet Gynecol. 1997;176:1056–61.
Exposure to medications or drugs during pregnancy can result in abnormalities such as withdrawal symptom, respiratory problems, growth retardation, developmental retardation, congenital heart defects, caudal deficiency and CNS defects. Known prenatal birth defects resulting from environmental toxins such as Lead, mercury or PCB’s are miscarriage, CNS damage, spasticity, mental retardation, skin discoloration and low birth weight.
Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16394951 U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, (2010). Overweight and obesity. Retrieved from Women's Health website: http://womenshealth.gov/minority-health/latinas/obesity.html Vahratian, A. (2009). Prevalence of overweight and obesity among women of childbearing age. 13(2), 268-273.
U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. (2009). Folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects: U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommendation statement. Annals of Internal Medicine, 150, 626–631.
Congenital Hydrocephalus and Acquired Cephalus. Congenital Hydrocephalus exists at birth and is caused by events that happen during the development of the fetus or genetic abnormalities. Acquired Hydrocephalus is caused by a disease or injury and it usually happens during birth or sometime after. Acquired Hydrocephalus can affect people of all ages. Then there is communicating and noncommunicating hydrocephalus. Communicating hydrocephalus happens when the flow of Cerebrospinal fluid or CSF is blocked as it leaves the ventricles. It is called communicating because the CSF fluid can still flow throughout the ventricles which are
Meanwhile for other babies having an underdeveloped brain could cause major physical problems for the child. This could include hearing loss and visual problems which would mean that the child would not be able to recognise voices and its surroundings. Another problem this could cause is feeding problems because the child might not be able to swallow this would cause major issues because the child wouldn't be able to get the nutrients it needs to
Beginning in the womb, nutrients obtained through the diet, in this case of the mother, begin playing a key role in the development of the brain and nervous system. A woman’s poor nutritional status before the time of conception can have detrimental effects on physical and cognitive development (Whitney & Rolfes, 2013, p. 486). It is clear that from the beginning of the lifespan nutrition plays a vital role and cognitive health and development. While nutrition is known to play a role in cognitive health, the question of just which nutrients and in what quantities will require many more years of research as new information is being discovered. There is a growing concern over the quality of ‘natural’ sources, such as breast milk and whole foods, as opposed to synthetic sources, such as infant formula and vitamin supplements. There has been much debate as to whether or ...
Chambers, C. D., Polifka, J. E., & Friedman, J. M. (2008). Drug safety in pregnant women and their babies: ignorance not bliss. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics, 83(1), 181-183.