Reducing Spinal Defects in Your Baby
Eating Egg Yolks, Soy and Meat Can Lower Your Newborn's Risk
Sep 26, 2009
Most expectant mothers have heard about the benefits of folic acid in reducing their baby's chance of developing spinal defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly. However brand new research shows that a little known nutrient known as choline, may also be a vital contributor in forming your baby's brain and spinal cord.
Risk of Spinal Defects with Low Levels of Choline
Researchers at Stanford University Medical School took blood samples about halfway through pregnancy and then linked the samples to information available after the babies were born. Eighty mothers from the group were identified as having babies with neural tube defects. The samples were compared to the rest of the group of mothers whose babies were not affected by neural tube defects. A number of nutrients were analyzed in both samples including choline, vitamin B6, folate (or folic acid), vitamin B12, riboflavin and creatinine.
The results showed that there was a link between the mothers who had the lowest levels of choline and the risk of having a baby with a brain or spinal defect.
What is Choline?
Although most people have little familiarity with the nutrient choline, it is an important one for a variety of reasons. Choline is actually a member of the B vitamin family. Choline helps to make sure the cell membranes in your body are functioning properly. It also helps your nerves and muscles to communicate more effectively. Choline also helps to prevent cardiovascular disease and osteoporosis.
Prenatal Vitamins Rarely Include Choline
One of the biggest challenges to get an adequate amount of choline in your pregnancy diet is that it is not typically found in prenatal vitamins. (When investigating several top brands, only one brand of prenatal vitamins out of five contained choline.) Since choline is rarely found in prenatal vitamins, expectant mothers will need to be sure that they are eating enough foods that are rich in choline. What are some of the foods that you can eat to increase the amount of choline in your pregnancy diet?
Foods that Contain Choline to Add to Your Pregnancy Diet
Choline can be found in egg yolks, soy and soybeans and whole wheat products. Other food sources of choline include butter, potatoes, cauliflower, lentils, oats, sesame and flax seeds. When choline metabolizes, it is known as betaine. You can also find the metabolite betaine in foods such as spinach and beets.
If you are interested in finding ways to reduce your baby's risk of spinal defects by adding choline to your pregnancy diet, please be aware that you should limit your food choices that contain soy. Soy contains hormone-like ingredients known as flavonoids and have been shown to alter hormone production.
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