Take folic acid pills with supplement to avoid Spina Bifida: AIIMS experts

New Delhi: The chances of the second child having Spina Bifida, a defect with incomplete closing of the backbone and membrane around the spinal cord, increases by 10 per cent if the first child also had similar problems, said experts from All India Institute of Medical Sciences ( AIIMS).

However, the defect can be avoided by just taking folic acid pills at the moment any couple starts planning to get baby.

Moreover, doctors informed that nearly 400-500 patients from Delhi only visited every year at the Neurology department in AIIMS.

Dr Deepak Gupta, professor, Neurosurgery said that nearly one out of 1,000 children is suffering from this disorder and it can be avoided by 50 percent by just taking folic acid pills at the moment any couple starts planning to get baby.

"Though the treatment of such problems needs early intervention, if left untreated, it can poorly impact the child's walking ability, learning and also bowel control," Dr Gupta said.

"Around five per cent of the new-born have this defect, which is believed to be due to a combination of genetic and environmental factors. The chances increase by 10 per cent during the second delivery, if the first child had similar conditions or one of the parents inherited this defect," said an expert from a private hospital.

Spina bifida is a type of birth defect known as neural tube defect. It occurs when the bones of the spine (vertebrae) don't form properly around part of the baby's spinal cord. Spina bifida can be mild or severe. During a public lecture at AIIMS, experts said that the mother's health condition during pregnancy plays a vital role in determining the defect.

"Apart from genetic conditions, environmental factors may also be a cause in developing Spina bifida. Lack of folic acid in the mother has been one of the most common reasons, which is why mothers are prescribed rich supplements of vitamin B," expert said.

"If a baby is left with the defect, he/she would face a lot of problems later in life. Associated problems include poor ability to walk, learning problems, problems with bladder or bowel control, a tethered spinal cord and latex allergy. Stating that usually such a defect can be detected during the 6th week of pregnancy through ultrasounds, Dr Gupta said during early detection, mother is advised a rich diet or supplements of vitamin B as surgery before birth may be a risk factor," he added.

Experts believes that most of the cases are diagnose during the pregnancy or immediately after delivery through spinal X-rays or ultrasounds. If a child detect with this sever it can be corrected through the fetal surgery during the 16-20 weeks of the fetus.

Moreover, experts informed that if timely diagnosis and treatment is provided, 90 percent of babies with Spina Bifida live well in adulthood, nearly 80 percent have normal intelligence and 75 percent of them participate in modified sports activities.