| If you are pregnant or are planning to become | | | | multivitamins before or after conception. The findings |
| pregnant, you probably know that it is important for | | | | were slightly significant , yet they were comparable to |
| you to get plenty of folic acid. Folic acid helps to | | | | a study conducted in 1993 by a different group. |
| reduce brain and spinal defects in your baby, especially | | | | Interestingly, taking a multivitamin during the later stages |
| in early pregnancy. What you may not know is how | | | | of pregnancy did not significantly reduce the infant's |
| important it is to take multivitamins, as well. | | | | risk of developing brain tumors. This makes it all too |
| A study, recently published in the medical journal | | | | clear that if you are trying to get pregnant, you should |
| Cancer Epidemiology Biomarkers and Prevention, | | | | begin taking your multivitamins right away. Then |
| noted the importance of taking multivitamins if trying to | | | | continue with the approval of your physician at least |
| conceive or newly pregnant. Their research concluded | | | | through the early stages of your pregnancy. |
| that women who take multivitamins in early pregnancy | | | | Women are strongly urged to choose a multivitamin |
| reduced their child's risk of developing certain brain | | | | with 400 micrograms of folic acid. Reproductive |
| tumors. | | | | women should eat healthy foods with plenty of |
| Researchers found that women taking multivitamins | | | | vitamins and folic acid. |
| close to the time they conceived had babies who | | | | When choosing your vitamin, check its vitamin A |
| were less likely to develop medulloblastoma and | | | | content. Never take more than 770 micrograms of |
| primitive neuroectodermal brain tumors. Brain tumors | | | | Vitamin A. Too much can cause birth defects in |
| are fairly rare in children, occurring in 1 in 20,000 kids | | | | babies. |
| under the age of six. Medulloblastoma is the second | | | | You should also look on the label for the letters USP. |
| most common brain tumor in children. | | | | This means the vitamin has been evaluated and meets |
| The study at The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia | | | | certain criteria by the U.S. Pharmacopeia Organization. |
| compared 315 children with brain tumors to 315 | | | | Vitamins with a USP stamp have certain standardized |
| randomly chosen healthy children. Researchers called | | | | levels of purity, safety, quality and content. |
| each mother and asked if they had been taking | | | | |