Taking certain vitamins during pregnancy could prevent hydrocephalus, an accumulation of cerebrospin...
Taking certain vitamins during pregnancy could prevent hydrocephalus, an accumulation of cerebrospinal fluid in the cavities of the baby's brain, which causes disability and learning difficulties. While the theory, published in the Journal of Neuropathology and Experimental Neurology, is still at an early stage, rats taking folates showed reduced rates of hydrocephalus.
A team from the universities of Manchester and Lancaster is hoping to start clinical trials in pregnant women with babies diagnosed with hydrocephalus. The team is also looking for a pharmaceutical company to produce the supplement, as it is not commercially available.
Dr Imogen Montague, of the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, said: "Ex-trapolating results from rats may be problematic, and we need to know both whether it works, and whether it is safe for use in humans. Any general use would still be a long way off.' At present hydrocephalus affects one in 1,000 live births.
