Green tea linked to spina bifida

[nalla]

I just read this article and thought some of you ttc might be interested.
The findings could also explain why women who drink large amounts of green
tea around the time they conceive and early in their pregnancy may have an
increased risk of having a child with spina bifida or other neural tube
disorders.

http://www.onlinenews.com.pk/details.php?id=109679

[Jenny100]

Man, what next??? Everytime you think something is safe, later on down the road they discover it's not. They will probably discover someday that apples give you cancer!!!! Lol

I drank green tea when I conceived, but definitely not large amounts. I drank 8 oz. only once a day.
I have been taking a high dose of folic acid from 3 months before I even conceived. So I am not too worried. But for someone who drank a lot, this will cause worry I'm sure.

[nalla]

It's really interesting. I drank a lot of green tea before and during my pregnancy. I love the stuff and it helped with my morning sickness and my last baby was born with spina bifida. Who knows if this is why. I was also taking prenatals during that time. It really makes you wonder if that is why my son was born with this??

[Jenny100]

Well I think the important thing for you to remember is that even if it did cause it, which you can never know for sure, IT'S NOT YOUR FAULT!!!
Of course you would NEVER do anything knowingly to cause harm to your baby. When we are told that somehting is harmless, we believe it. We trust what "they" tell us.
So DO NOT beat yourself up about it.You would never have drank it if you would have known . You can't second guess and worry about the "what if's" because it will drive you crazy. You were always doing what you thought was best.
Best wishes to you and your son!!

[waitingwithhope]

wow, on the tww website, there was buzz about drinking as much green tea as possible! crazy!

[DollChina]

I am Chinese and I drank green tea before I got pregger and during my pregnancy.............and my baby is fine and healthy.  Almost all Chinese drinks greeen tea on a daily basis.
They find something that's bad for you every day.

[nalla]

Jenny- Oh I know! I don't blame myself at all! I went through a period of blame when I was pregnant, but that didn't last long!

ChinaDoll- I don't think this is saying that everybody that drinks green tea will have a baby with SB, but some of the stuff in green tea decreases the folic acid, the very thing that prevents SB. (spina bifida)
I posted this because I just thought women out there would like to know that there is some what of a greater chance of having a baby born with SB. SB is still rare and only 7 out of 10,000 babies born are born with it. And if you take 400 mcg of folic acid prior and during pregnancy reduces the risk by 70%.

And out of all the ethnic groups, Asian people are LEAST likely to have a baby with spina bifida.

[ImmortalOne]

I'm honestly tired of your horrid attitude on these forums and have reported you for abusing the members of this forum.

Additionally, if a parent chooses to keep a child with a disability, that is their choice.  Period.  This isn't a moral issue for you to debate with that parent, EVER.  I don't care if my child has 4 arms, and 1 foot, I love my baby I am pregnant with just as much as I love my living children.  However that is my choice, and not one for someone else to make for me.

[mum2beagain]

That last comment was a little insensitive, I respect everyone is entitled to their own opinion and choices in this world, just use a bit of tact when expressing them.

[Jaces312]

Shame on you Flower!!! some women cant even have babies and you would abort a gift from God because of a so-called disability? Unbelievable!!

[anxiousmomtobe?]

Your son is a gift of heaven.  You are a loving, caring parent.  

[Alicia1983]

Neural tube defects are usualyy linked to a folic acid deficiency. Women of chilbearing age are encouraged to take a folic acid supplement to prevent these defects if conception were to occur.