Deficiency of which vitamin during pregnancy predisposes to meningomyelocele?

Ans. is 'a' i.e., Folic acid* Isolated (ie, nonsyndromic) NTDs (neural tube defects) are congenital malformations that result from failure of the neural tube to close during embryogenesis. Normally, the primordial central nervous system begins as a plate of cells early in embryonic life, which folds on itself to form a tube. Closure of the tube occurs in the interval of days 21-28 postconception. Failure of closure results in NTDs.* They are of three types :# Spina Bifida Occulta# Meningocele# Myelomeningocele* Among environmental factors, Nutrition is considered the main factor. Regarding nutritional deficiencies, many case control studies and randomised controlled trials have proven that maternal Folic acid deficiency is the most common cause for Foetal Neural Tube Defects.