Vitamins prevent birth defects, says research

This has been known for a long time, but it doesn't hurt to hear a reminder from time to time: vitamins prevent birth defects. Sadly, most expectant mothers don't pursue optimum nutrition, so they inevitably suffer from nutritional deficiencies.
The solution? Make vitamins and nutritional supplements freely available to pregnant women.

Overview:

BEIJING, July 16, (Xinhuanet) -- A birth defect intervention project began on Tuesday in North China's Shanxi Province, targeting a reduction in the high rate of birth defects in some parts of the province, according to Friday's China Daily.
An ample vitamin supply has been shown by scientists to be important to proper embryonic development, which can reduce the rate of some birth defects and improve the quality of births.

"However, previous surveys show the population in Shanxi Province has a prominently lower acquirement rate of vitamins than the national average," said Professor Zheng Xiaoying, director of the Institute of Population Research at Peking University/WHO Collaborating Centre.

The nutrients to be added will be provided by various international organizations, said Chen Chunming with the International Life Science Institute's branch in Beijing.

Source: http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2004-07/16/content_1605215.htm