Brief Answer:
Good nutrition is more important than prenatal vitamins.

Detailed Answer:
Prenatal vitamins are an essential part of good prenatal care where nutrition is suboptimal. If you eat a healthy diet with fresh fruits and vegetables and have adequate source of B vitamins (especially important for vegetarians) there will likely be no deficit. Some women who cannot tolerate prenatal vitamins do better with an iron free variety.
In many developed countries folic acid is an added supplement to bakery products because the nervous system is developing befor a women even realizes she is pregnant. Folic acid decreases the risk of neural tube defects. When I take care of patients attempting to conceive I make sure that they have folic acid as a supplement.
marketing rather than scientific facts drive the prenatal market in developed countries.

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Brief Answer:
The neural tube forms early

Detailed Answer:
Hi,

Thanks for your query.

4 to 5 weeks after the last menstrual period the neural tube has formed. That is why governments have decided to supplement folic acid in the food supply. By the time women realize they are pregnant the tube has already closed. Almost all fetal organs and structures have formed by 10 to 12 weeks following the last menstrual period. After that the job of the fetus is to grow and for the lungs to develop to sustain independent life. Eat healthy, rest when you're tired refrain from indulging in alcohol or mood altering substances. You will be fine. Amazingly so are the best majority of babies. Having a child is a jump off the cliff. You have to have faith that most things will work out. This includes teenagers that show up at the pierced eyebrow. Hang in there. You will be fine without prenatal vitamins as long as you're eating a healthy diet and taking good care of yourself.

Regards,

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Brief Answer:
Many causes.

Detailed Answer:
This is a question which has many answers. It can be a genetic condition such as down's syndrome. That begins when sperm and egg join immediately after conception. However retardation can occur because a full-term normal baby is deprived of oxygen or exposed to illness during delivery. There can be congenital anomalies meaning an organ doesn't form normally and if it happens to be the brain or affecting the circulation to the brain mental retardation.can occur. There are also some metabolic disorders that can result retardation; disorders of lipid and glucose metabolism more common in some ethnic groups than others. If there's a strong family history of a disorder,then genetic counseling is appropriate. Mental retardation can occur because of maternal alcohol or drug use. but many times there's no explanation and no family history. there are never any guarantees when having a child. But we'll hope for health and happiness for our children. Even if the child is born completely completely normal, mental retardation can occur from accident injury or illness any time during childhood or even as an adult.

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