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What Causes Myelodysplasia? |
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What Causes Myelodysplasia? |
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Scientists do not know what causes spina bifida. They suspect that genetic, nutritional and environmental factors all play a role. Women who get enough folic acid (a B vitamin) before and during pregnancy reduce the risk of having a baby with myelomeningocele, but do not eliminate it. Because the spinal cord forms early in the developmental process (within the first five weeks), many women may not even know they are pregnant in time to start taking supplements. For this reason, many doctors suggest that all women who may become pregnant take B vitamin supplements. Having one child with spina bifida significantly increases the chance that a second child will have the defect, suggesting that a genetic predisposition is at work.
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