...Case Study 16: Preventing Neural Tube Defects in Chile Abstract Neural tube defects (NTDs) are the second most common congenital malformation to congenital heart disease and affected 400 babies in Chile annually before a fortification legislation was passed to use fortified flour with folic acid. This fortification reduced spina bifida by 51% and anencephaly by 46% (Levine, 2007). Team One will share answers to questions about this study and research of the problem. The globally astute nurse can provide education and become an advocate to continue to reduce these congenital birth defects through improving the health of women and children and thus all humanity. Case Study Sixteen: Preventing Neural Tube Defects in Chile Despite efforts to reduce neural tube defects, more than 300,000 children are born with neural tube defects annually (CDC, 2012). In Chile, fortification with folate reduced birth defects. Public and private partnerships are necessary for the success of ventures to improve healthcare. Fortification with folate in the diet can be replicated, but must be attune to cultural diet and nutrition habits. Global education is a critical link to success in combating disease and especially with neural tube defects. Once leaders are aware and efforts can focus on problems for education, intervention and evaluation, global health can be improved and the sustainability of our people and planet can continue. Question...
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...pregnancy as much cell multiplication is occurring. Folate supplements should be taken by women of childbearing age and continued throughout the first trimester of pregnancy. It is important for women to take them at these points to help prevent against neural tube defects. The neural tube is the embryonic tissue that forms the brain and spinal cord. Neural tube defects are when there are malformations of the brain or spinal cord. The two main neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly. Each of these defects begin in the early stages of pregnancy and can be prevented with the use of folate supplements. It is recommended that women of childbearing age consume four hundred micrograms of folate daily. To meet the daily recommended value, women between the ages of fifteen and forty-five years old should eat folate-rich foods, folate-fortified foods, and take a multivitamin each day. Another way one can reach the recommended value is by consuming at least five servings of fruits and vegetables a day. I think the recommended value for folate is not known. I do think that people are aware, however, of the benefits of folate and are actually using it. Evidence can be seen by the lowered number of neural tube defects each year. Since 1996, the number has been decreasing tremendously. I know from personal experience that doctors are letting their patients know of its importance and was told to start taking a supplement since I was eighteen. I will admit, though, that I...
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...Spina Bifida One in one thousand births are affected by neural tube defects, second most common in humans. Two particular defects include anencephaly and spina bifida, caused by the neural tube’s failure to close early on during the development of the brain and spinal cord. If the neural tube that forms the brain does not close, it is known as anencephaly and this results in the brain forming completely abnormally and the cranium being absent. The results are death at birth. In mice, this defect is known as exencephaly. Which is where Dr. Heather Mcdermid and her research staff base their studies and experiments. Mutation of the gene Cecr2 causes exencephaly in mice in a strain dependent manner. For example a BALB/c strain on a mouse, when mutated, shows exencephaly in 75% of mouse embryos. Studing of the gene Cecr2 and its major modifier, a gene located on chromosome 19, will hopefully add to their field of research and understanding of the mechanisms of normal neurulation and neural tube defects. Dr. Mcdermid went to school at the University of Western Ontario, where she would receive her bachelors of science in zoology; then, due to marriage, Dr. Mcdermid moved to Kingston and through observing a prof of the field, became avidaly interestd in human genetics. Going on to receive her P.H.d. Upon returning to Edmonton Currently engaged in two projects, Dr. Mcdermid and her team are looking at Neural Tube Defects in mice, a lot of different aspects being associated to this...
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...Anencephaly is a serious birth defect in which a baby is born without parts of the brain and skull. It is a type of neural tube defect; these are birth defects that happen during the first month of pregnancy, and it’s usually before a woman knows she is pregnant. Keywords: N/A Birth Defects: Anencephaly Birth defects are a structural or/and a functional of abnormalities that are present at birth that cause physical or mental disability. They’re the leading cause of death for infants and a fetus during the first year of life, and they can be fatal. Anencephaly is an example of a neural tube defect, a condition that results from an error in the first weeks of embryonic development. The term embryonic development refers to the changes that take...
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...Anencephaly is a congenital embryological neurological disorder of the neural tube which causes portions of the brain and the skull not to develop properly (Saheb). Because the neural tube does not close adequately these children will not have a forebrain or a midbrain (Kurtoglu), rather they will develop “Fibro vascular tissue with scattered islands of neural elements” (Behrman). This malformation of the brain and the cranial vault causes many of these children to be still born (Elwood & Lemire). According to the Centers for Disease Control, “3 pregnancies in every 10,000 in the United States will have anencephaly. This means about 1,206 pregnancies are affected by these conditions each year in the United States”(CDC). The unfortunate infants who live momentarily experience sepsis, pneumonia, or atelectasis(Behrman). Its pathology is unclear, however, researchers believe genetics and nutrition are contributing factors (CDC). Children with Anencephaly experience abnormalities of, “Congenital talipus, equinovarus or valgus, spina bifida, cystic kidneys, cystic liver, high palate with cleft, diaphragmatic hernia, immature lungs, thymic hyperplasia, megaoesophagus, hypertrophy of bladder and hypoplasia of epididymis, hypoplatic lungs, syndactyly, cyclopia, club foot, cleft palate, imperforate anus, renal defects, cardiac defects, large thymus, absence of thumb and radius, large thymus, and reduced size of adrenal gland (Jones). Those full term infants who live for few days...
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...Spina Bifida Spina Bifida is a birth defect that occurs during your pregnancy. It affects the spinal cord and if they find out before the birth they will deliver the fetus by C section. They like to deliver the fetus this way so as not to damage the spinal cord any further. The spinal cord has an opening and it must be closed as soon as possible to prevent infection. The spot that the opening happens on is the area of the body that will be affected. If the opening was high on the spinal cord the area that will be affected is the brain, if it is low on the cord the part of the body that is affected will be the bladder and kidneys. Surgery is done only to close the opening, what doesn’t work before the surgery will not work after the surgery it is only done to ward off infection. The baby has to be evaluated to see if it will need a shunt to control fluid in the brain area. The babies that have this condition need to get the fluid drained and this condition is called hydrocephalous. Most babies and children have to wear shoes on their feet all the time because they have no feeling in the bottom of the feet and can’t tell if it is hot or cold, so in winter they could get frostbite and in summer they could burn their feet on the hot pavement. This disease is not curable at this time only its symptoms are managed if they can be. The Federal Government, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke a component of the National Institute of Health supports...
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...Two different neurological disorders that can occur in development and how they affect development. The National Institute of Neurological Disorders states that spina bifida, which means cleft spine, is characterized by the incomplete development of the brain, spinal cord, and/or meninges (the protective covering around the brain and spinal cord. There are four types of spinal bifida: occulta, closed neural defects, meningocele, and myelomeningocele. Occulta is the mildest and most common form in which one or more vertebrae are malformed. Closed neural tube defects make up the second type of spina bifida. This form consists of a diverse group of defects in which the spinal cord is marked by malformations of fat, bone, or meninges. The third type is, memingocele, spinal fluid and meninges protrude through an abnormal vertebral opening. And the most severe and occurs when the spinal cord/neural elements are exposed through the opening in the spine is called myelomeningocele. The effect it has on development is that it can range from minor physical problems with little functional impairment to severe physical and mental disabilities. Spina bifida’s impact is determined by the size and location of the malformation, whether it covered, and which spinal nerves are involved. Also, most people with spina bifida are of normal intelligence. The national Institute of Neurological Disorders states that cerebral palsy refers to any one of a number of neurological disorders that appear...
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...Exam #3 Pediatric Review Questions 1. Spastic cerebral palsy is characterized by what? 2. Are there any drugs that can decrease spasticity in a child? How would you respond to a parent asking this question? 3. What is a myelomeningocele? 4. Which problem is often associated with a myelomeningocele? 5. What is the most common problem of a child born with a myelomeningocele? 6. What is a recommendation to prevent neural tube defect? 7. How much folic acid is recommended for women of childbearing age? 8. What position do you place a neonate in to feed that has had a myelomeningocele repair? 9. What advice about the diet would you give a parent who has a child with a latex allergy? 10. What are appropriate nursing interventions for a child with latex allergies? 11. What are the clinical manifestations of a child with spinal muscular atrophy (Werdnig-Hoffman disease)? 12. What is the management plan for a child diagnosed with pseudohypertrophic (Duchenne) muscular dystrophy? 13. Therapeutic management of a child with tetanus includes the administration of what medication(s)? 14. Select all that apply: care of a child after a spinal cord injury would include what nursing interventions? 15. How does immobilization affect the metabolism? Increase or decrease the metabolism? 16. How does immobilization affect the cardiovascular system? It causes…. 17. What can result from the bone demineralization associated with immobility? 18. What would you do for a child who has...
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... including spinach, broccoli, peas, brown rice, liver, and may-more. Some people, may not receive enough from their diet alone. And its deficiency can be treated easily by taking a course of folic acid tablets. As stated by Dettwyler (2008) all people need folic acid, but more important for pregnant women or those who are able to get pregnant. When a woman has enough folic acid, before and during pregnancy, the result of major birth defects in the fetus’s development, which including: Spina bifida and Anencephaly; may be at low risk. In most cases Spina bifida is one form of birth defects called neural tube defects. These defects usually involves the damage to the spine and spinal cord. This takes place when some vertebrae of the spine don't close properly during pregnancy and the spinal cord's nerves are exposed and damaged. The neural tube is the embryonic structure that develops into the brain and spinal cord. This tube normally folds inward and closes by the 28th day after birth. When it fails to closes completely this causes the defects of the spinal cord and vertebrae. Anencephaly also known as “open skull,” is a condition present at birth that affects the formation of a fetus's brain and the skull bones surrounding the head. In which the major parts of the brain, scalp, and skull of the fetus do not form completely during developing in the womb. In most cases the brain lacks part of the cerebrum (the area of the brain that is responsible for thinking, vision, hearing...
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...There are 3,000 pregnancies affected by spinal bifida or anencephaly, which are neural tube defects (NTDs) caused by the incomplete closing of the spin and skull. Having a healthy pregnancy can later promote a healthy birth. A mother who consuming a healthy dosage of prenatal vitamins before and during pregnancy can help eliminate the chances of a neural tube defect up to 70 percent. Mothers and expecting Mothers should know the importance of taking a complete multivitamin such as a prenatal vitamin. In the beginning stages of conception, the zygote is beginning the development of the spinal cord, nervous system, heart, and lungs. These are all important in the life span of living vertebrates. There are certain things our body needs to ensure...
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...some birth defects as well as a preventative for other congenital abnormalities. “The World Health Organization and Centers for Disease Control and prevention recommend that women of childbearing age consume 0.4mg of folic acid per day” (Wehby & Murray, 2008). It can be taken as a supplement in a multivitamin, on its own and in certain foods. This vital nutrient has been noted to decrease instances of neural tube defects. The neural tube forms during the embryonic period...
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...SIXTY-THIRD WORLD HEALTH ASSEMBLY Provisional agenda item 11.7 A63/10 1 April 2010 Birth defects Report by the Secretariat 1. The report aims to inform the discussion on birth defects, including definition, epidemiology, burden of disease and interventions for prevention and care, as well as indications of how these interventions might be integrated into existing health services. An earlier version of this report was considered by the Executive Board at its 126th session,1 following which the Board adopted resolution EB126.R6. DEFINITION 2. The International statistical classification of diseases and related health problems, tenth revision (ICD-10), includes birth defects in Chapter XVII: Congenital malformations, deformations and chromosomal abnormalities. Birth defects like inborn errors of metabolism and blood disorders of prenatal origin appear in other chapters. Birth defects can be defined as structural or functional abnormalities, including metabolic disorders, which are present from birth. The term congenital disorder is considered to have the same definition; the two terms are used interchangeably.2 The eleventh revision of the classification provides an opportunity for a review of the current entry. 3. Irrespective of definition, birth defects can cause spontaneous abortions and stillbirths and are a significant but underrecognized cause of mortality and disability among infants and children under five years of age. They can be life-threatening, result in long-term...
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...and have a high morbidity and mortality. True 6. What tow primary (least evasive) approaches are used to monitor fetal growth, development, and to identify pregnancy risks for a congenital anomaly? Maternal serum screening and ultrasonography 7. Five percent of all pregnant women screened will have abnormal test results when there is an unaffected pregnancy. True 8. Maternal Serum Screening can detect the risk for which condition? Possible Neural Tube Defect 9. The leading indication for invasive diagnostic is advanced maternal age. True 10. What would be the outcome for an autosomal recessive trait, statistically speaking, if a person who is a heterozygous carrier has children with a homozygous normal individual? (Use Boxes) Fifty percent of the children will be carriers and fifty percent will be normal. 11. Maternal Serum Screening is considered diagnostic test used to determine the type of disorder your baby will have when born. False 12. Which serum blood levels indicate the probability of neural tube defect? High AFP 13. What are the risks involved for a female who wishes to become pregnant at the age of forty-five? There is a 1 in 20 chance of Down syndrome other chromosomal abnormality. 14. Amniocentesis is done between fifteen and eighteen weeks after the last menstrual period. True 15. What is Polydactylism? The possession of more...
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...I was three years old when my mother went into the hospital to deliver my baby sister. She didn’t come home for months. What was supposed to have been a happy time for our family had turned into a mother’s worst nightmare. My baby sister, Amanda, was born with Spina Bifida. Our nervous system develops from a plate of cells along the back of an embryo. Early in development this plate begins to curl up, creating a neural tube, this closes to form the brain and spinal cord. As development progresses, the top tube becomes the brain and the remainder becomes the spinal cord. This process is usually complete by the 28th day of pregnancy which is usually before most women even know they are pregnant. If problems do occur during this process, it can result in brain disorders called neural tube defects, including Spina Bifida. Spina Bifida which literally means “cleft spine” is the incomplete development of the spinal cord or its coverings. Spina Bifida is the most common neural tube defect in the United States, affecting more then 1,500-2,000 infants born each year. There are three types of Spina Bifida. The most common and least serious of the three is Spina Bifida Occulta. With Spina Bifida Occulta there may be a patch of hair or dimpling of the skin where the vertebrae have failed to fuse. The person will only have one or more malformed vertebrae, which can only be discovered on x-rays and the person may never even know they have this condition. The least common type of Spina...
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...Plant Based Pregnancy Larry Rossi Drexel University Plant Based Pregnancy Planning your diet is a complex, time consuming task. It is shaped by culture, marketing, politics, economics, necessity, and desire. Diet is one of the biggest and most important factors in our overall health. Our diets are linked to an increase in obesity, diabetes, hypotension, cancer, and cardiovascular disease. Obesity, which represents a caloric intake well over what is needed, is s major concern. Particularly in western culture, where a diet that emphasizes high fat, caloric dense food has been implicated as a connection to several negative health outcomes. It is accepted by heath care professionals, and pregnant women that nutritional status during pregnancy plays an important role in a healthy pregnancy. Women with poor nutrition can experience complications with labor, as well as compromised fetal growth, resulting in low birth weight. Pregnant women who gain more or less weight than the recommended amount can result in complications for both mother and baby. The incidence increases at the extremes of weight gain. What is an expected mother to be to do? An increased number are looking into dietary alternatives. One alternative, that is growing in popularity, is a vegan diet. What is a vegan diet? A vegan, or plant based, diet is a form of vegetarianism. It differs in that individuals following this diet consume zero animal products. This means that vegans do not eat any meat,...
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