Word parts
What it means
In the first weeks of pregnancy, a flat strip of cells rolls up into a tube that will become the brain and spinal cord. It normally closes about four weeks after conception, often before a person knows they are pregnant. If it does not close fully, the baby has a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida (an opening over the spinal cord) or anencephaly (most of the brain and skull missing).
For the nurse
Taking folic acid before pregnancy and in the first weeks lowers the risk of neural tube defects, so teach it to everyone who could become pregnant.
At a glance
| Spanish | tubo neural |
|---|---|
| Also written | neural-tube |
Related terms
neur/o
A word root that means nerve or the nervous system.
spinal cord
The long bundle of nerves that runs down through the backbone and carries messages between the brain and the body.
folate
A B vitamin (vitamin B9) the body needs to make DNA and new cells, including red blood cells.
birth defect
A problem in how a part of the body is formed or works that is present when a baby is born.