Less Vitamin C While Pregnant, Fetal Brain Threatened Damaged

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Vitamin C is believed to improve the immune system and is rich in antioxidants. Coupled with his image attached to the citrus fruit makes a delicious and refreshing this popular vitamin many people. The study found that vitamin C is also very necessary for the development of the fetal brain.

Scientists from the University of Copenhagen recently discovered that vitamin C deficiency in pregnant women can cause brain damage to the fetus. Even more dangerous, the damage can not be repaired by giving vitamin C supplements after the baby is born.

"Vitamin C deficiency in pregnant women can inhibit the growth of the hippocampus, an important memory center in the fetus as much as 10-15 percent, thus preventing brain develop optimally," said the researchers, Professor Jens Lykkesfeldt as reported by Medical Xpress, Monday (11/19/2012 ).

Prof Lykkesfeldt led a group of scientists researching guinea pig type gunea pregnant and their babies. Like humans, guinea pigs guinea pigs can not produce vitamin C themselves. Therefore, the guinea pig is considered an appropriate research model to be compared with humans.

The research published the journal PLoS ONE found that vitamin C is very instrumental in the development of the brain important for memory. In the study, children who were born guinea pigs with vitamin C deficiency were divided into 2 groups. One group was given supplements of vitamin C, while the other group did not.

When guinea pigs aged 2 months or equivalent to human adolescence, penelliti not see any improvement guinea pig brain in both groups, including groups that were given vitamin C after birth. Unfortunately, scientists do not really know exactly when pregnancy can affect fetal brain development.

"People with low socioeconomic status have a poor diet and smoking may also often suffer from a lack of vitamin C. Her children are at risk of being born with underdeveloped memory. These children may have learning problems," said prof Lykkesfeldt.

Prof Lykkesfeldt explained that in the context of social, historical children born to vitamin C deficiency is recurrent because children find it more difficult to break away from the neighborhood where he was born. This deficiency can be prevented if pregnant women eat a variety of nutritious foods, do not smoke and take a daily multi vitamin during pregnancy.

Source:  Medical Xpress