Healthy pregnancy hub

Neural Tube Defects: What Are They?

17 Jul 2024

Brochures

Neural tube malformations are serious congenital abnormalities tooltip that affect the brain, spine, or spinal cord, and occur early in pregnancy. Conditions such as spina bifida and anencephaly can develop if the neural tube tooltip does not close properly.

Fortunately, steps like taking folic acid before and during pregnancy can significantly reduce the risk.

infographics-EN-neural-tube

Download the PDF

For more information, check out our related factsheets and resources.

URL copied!

Popular Fact Sheets

Our fact sheets answer frequently asked questions about many common exposures during pregnancy and breastfeeding, including medications, health conditions, infections, vaccines, and more.

Resources

In this section, you can browse, in one place, through our various documents and tools for pregnant people, their families and healthcare professionals. You'll find vidéos, downloadable brochures, podcast episodes, and more!

Partners

Your pregnancy during COVID-19
uOttawa
University of Calgary
University of British Columbia
University of Toronto
University of Saskatchewan
University of Manitoba
University of Alberta
Unity Health
Unité de soutien SSA
UDEM
Stratos
SOGC
SickKids
RQRM
QTNPR
QPC
PWHR
Public Health Agency of Canada
PregMed France
SPOR
MPrint
Mitacs
Médicaments Grossesse
McGill
Médicament Québec
FRQ
Perinatal Network
CIHR
IQVIA
iPOP
Institut national de santé publique du Québec
INRS
Innovative Medicines Canada
IN-uTERO
Immerscience
Groww
Enrich
Design Develop Discover
Dalla Lana
CUSM
CIHR
CHU Sainte-Justine
Centre of Excellence on Partnership with Patients and the Public
CAN-AIM
Canadian Pharmacogenomics Network for Drug Safetry
CAMCCO
CAMCCO-L
C4T
BORN Ontario
Black Physicians of Canada
BC Children's Hospital
Association of Faculties of Pharmacy of Canada
Alberta Health Services
MICYRN
UQAT
Dalhousie University