Repropedia

A Reproductive Lexicon

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neural tube defect

Neural tube defects (NTDs) are birth defects of the brain, spine, and spinal cord that usually occur during the first month or trimester of pregnancy, often before a woman realizes she is pregnant. This is why women of childbearing age are advised to take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid a day, as this is proven to help prevent NTDs.

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