On the morning of March 4th, 2005, my daughter Emily made her grand entrance into the world. Her birth did not go un-noticed as a group of 16 doctors and nurses attended her delivery by cesarean section. This birth was used as a learning experience for many of those in the operating room that day because Emily was born with Spina Bifida, a type of neural tube defect or NTD.
This particular NTD affects the development of the brain and what will eventually be the spinal cord, during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy. Picture the developing neural tube as an open book: the cover being the protective layer around the nerves and the pages being the nerves themselves. As the neural tube or spine forms, it closes on itself much like you close a book. The cover completely surrounds the nerves and this becomes known as your spinal cord.
Emily’s began closing but stopped just above her hip bones, leaving the nerves controlling her lower extremities, bowels, and bladder exposed and vulnerable to damage. She had a surgery to close what was left of her open spinal cord just one day after her birth and at just two weeks old had a shunt put in her brain to relieve pressure from spinal fluid build up, called Hydrocephalus. Imagine finding out that this could have all been prevented with one tiny vitamin?
The development of her spine could have been completed correctly had my wife been taking Folic Acid during the first few weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid is a water-soluble, B-vitamin that is found in foods such as orange juice, fortified breads, leafy greens, and in most multi-vitamins. All that is recommended to prevent a neural tube defect is 400 micrograms of Folic Acid. This is a tiny amount that must be taken daily because it is absorbed by water and passed out of your body each day. Taking just 400 micrograms of Folic Acid has been found to reduce the incidence of Spina Bifida by 70 percent.
Thankfully, we were told of her diagnosis prior to her birth and we were given the opportunity to learn more about Spina Bifida and its inevitable effects on our daughter. We had the chance to learn more than we could have ever imagined about her before she was even born. Many parents do not get this chance. Now our hope is to educate others about Spina Bifida and how easily it can be prevented. Anyone can be affected by Spina Bifida. Whether you are a female of birthing age, married to one, or have a daughter you should be informed on the importance of Folic Acid and how something like this can be prevented in your life. That alone would be Emily’s purpose.
This particular NTD affects the development of the brain and what will eventually be the spinal cord, during the first 8 weeks of pregnancy. Picture the developing neural tube as an open book: the cover being the protective layer around the nerves and the pages being the nerves themselves. As the neural tube or spine forms, it closes on itself much like you close a book. The cover completely surrounds the nerves and this becomes known as your spinal cord.
Emily’s began closing but stopped just above her hip bones, leaving the nerves controlling her lower extremities, bowels, and bladder exposed and vulnerable to damage. She had a surgery to close what was left of her open spinal cord just one day after her birth and at just two weeks old had a shunt put in her brain to relieve pressure from spinal fluid build up, called Hydrocephalus. Imagine finding out that this could have all been prevented with one tiny vitamin?
The development of her spine could have been completed correctly had my wife been taking Folic Acid during the first few weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid is a water-soluble, B-vitamin that is found in foods such as orange juice, fortified breads, leafy greens, and in most multi-vitamins. All that is recommended to prevent a neural tube defect is 400 micrograms of Folic Acid. This is a tiny amount that must be taken daily because it is absorbed by water and passed out of your body each day. Taking just 400 micrograms of Folic Acid has been found to reduce the incidence of Spina Bifida by 70 percent.
Thankfully, we were told of her diagnosis prior to her birth and we were given the opportunity to learn more about Spina Bifida and its inevitable effects on our daughter. We had the chance to learn more than we could have ever imagined about her before she was even born. Many parents do not get this chance. Now our hope is to educate others about Spina Bifida and how easily it can be prevented. Anyone can be affected by Spina Bifida. Whether you are a female of birthing age, married to one, or have a daughter you should be informed on the importance of Folic Acid and how something like this can be prevented in your life. That alone would be Emily’s purpose.
