Discuss this article on the forums. (0 posts)

There is a wide-spread misconception that taking folic acid will "prevent" spina bifida and other neural tube birth defects. The truth is, while in some cases it might help, it will not prevent spina bifida from happening in all cases. Many mothers were already taking folic acid when they got pregnant and still had babies with spina bifida.In other words...

It. Just. Happens.

Here are a collections of emails about folic acid and related issues.

Message 39147

Just curious??

I recently read a book called "The Elephant in the Playroom" By: Denise Brodey.
In this book there are stories about how parents deal with raising children with
special needs. It mostly deals with Autism type disorders, but there are a few
cerebal palsey stories and learning disorders. I still found the stories hit
very close to home. I thought it was interesting how many of the parents ALWAYS
NEW there was something wrong with there child even before the diagnosis. I
found out Kiya had sb when I was 7 months pregnant. We had 3 ultrasounds where
we were told that she was a very health little girl. Yet, for some reason I
also had this feeling in my heart that something was wrong. I can't really
explain what I thought was wrong, but I just always new (but obviosly didn't
want to share with anyone)! I was just curious, did anyone else have any
feelings (deep down) that something was not right, before you found out about
the sb? Good book to read, if you are interested in stories about other
families!!

Thanks
Shelly
mom to Kiya 22 months old SB L3L4

--

Message 39151

Re: [SB-Parents] Just curious??

hello~
i also new something was wrong. at first i thought it was because my
previous pregnancy was a mis carriage. which i lost at 8 weeks along. so i
thought if i just made it past that i would quit being so nervous. but i
didn't. at my 20 week ultra sound i told my husband that even though as i spoke
i was feeling the baby move, i was scared to death to go get the ultra sound.
and thats not normal, every parent is excited for ultra sounds, right?
well when i did get the ultra sound i found out why i was so scared all the
time for the baby i was carrying. i could not have told you he had spina bifida
and hydrocephelus, but i defently new something was up

~patty

--

Message 39154

Re: [SB-Parents] Just curious??

I didn¹t have any sense deep down with Erik, my first. But before I knew I
was pregnant with Emma, I dreamt that I had a vaginal birth of a healthy
girl. A few days later I learned I was pregnant, and every US just
confirmed what I already knew. And her birth was a successful VBAC.

Now she¹s 7 and a girl with all the associated drama . . . . But physically
she¹s just fine.

--

Message 39155

Re: Just curious??

while I was pregnant I had reoccurring dreams about a coworker I
worked with 6 years ago. He had spina bifida. I would wake up in
sweats that my son had spina bifida. I thought that was a weird thing
to dream.

It was my second pregnancy so I just thought I was being paranoid for
missing a vitamin or something. He was very planned, I was on
prenatal vitamins well in advanced of when he was born. We had
monthly sonagrams, a perinatologist, and the quad screen, all saying
healthy baby. But I kept having the dreams. When he was born we
discovered he had spina bifida.

I'm sure stranger things have happened.

--