During pregnancy, deficiency of which vitamin in women causes neural tube defect in the newborn: March 2010
First, the core concept here is about neural tube development. Neural tube defects like spina bifida or anencephaly occur when the neural tube doesn't close properly. I remember that folic acid is crucial during early pregnancy for this process. The neural tube forms in the first few weeks, so maternal nutrition during this period is vital.
The correct answer should be vitamin B9, which is folic acid. Its deficiency is a well-known cause of neural tube defects. Folic acid is involved in the synthesis of nucleotides and amino acids, and it helps in the proper closure of the neural tube. The mechanism involves the one-carbon metabolism pathway, where folate acts as a coenzyme. Without enough folic acid, this pathway is disrupted, leading to impaired DNA synthesis and repair, which is essential for rapidly dividing cells like those in the neural tube.
Now, the wrong options. Let's think about other vitamins. Vitamin B12 (cobalamin) is important too, but it's more related to red blood cell formation and neurological function. Deficiency can cause megaloblastic anemia and neurological issues, but not specifically neural tube defects. Vitamin B6 (pyridoxine) is involved in amino acid metabolism and neurotransmitter synthesis. Deficiency might lead to anemia or neurological symptoms, but not neural tube defects. Vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency causes beriberi, which affects the heart and nervous system, not the neural tube. So each of these other B vitamins isn't directly linked to the neural tube formation.
The clinical pearl here is that folic acid supplementation before and during early pregnancy is recommended to prevent neural tube defects. The CDC recommends 400-800 mcg daily, starting at least one month before conception. This is a key point for exams and clinical practice.
Putting it all together, the correct answer is folic acid, which is vitamin B9. The options for the question should have included B9 as an option. The user's question has the options labeled A to D, but since the correct answer is B9, the letter would depend on the original options. Since the user didn't provide the options, I'll just state that the correct answer is vitamin B9 (folic acid).
**Core Concept**
Neural tube defects (NTDs) like spina bifida arise from impaired closure of the neural tube during embryogenesis, primarily due to folic acid (vitamin B9) deficiency. Folic acid is critical for one-carbon metabolism, DNA synthesis, and methylation processes required for rapid cell proliferation in early development.
**Why the Correct Answer is Right**
Folic acid deficiency disrupts the folate-dependent methylation cycle, reducing the availability of methyl groups needed for DNA synthesis and repair. This impairs cell division in the developing neural tube, leading to malformations. Supplementation with folic acid before and during early pregnancy is a primary preventive strategy. The mechanism involves the enzyme methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR), which converts folate into its active form, 5-methyltetrahydrofolate, essential for homocysteine remethylation