Camp Lejeune: Neural tube defects claims

Exposure to industrial solvents during pregnancy increases the risk of having a child with a neural tube defect

As some of the most common birth defects, neural tube defects occur in 1 out of 1,000 newborns in the United States. There are two types of neural tube defects, namely open and closed. While the former refers to the brain or the spinal cord being exposed through a defect in the skull or vertebrae, the latter occurs when the spinal defect is covered by skin.

Between 50% and 70% of neural tube defects can be prevented if the pregnant woman supplements her diet with folic acid. Insufficient folic acid is one of the main causes of neural tube defects. The following are the most common neural tube defects:

• spina bifida
• anencephaly
• encephalocele
• lipomyelomeningocele
• tethered cord
• lipomeningocele

Trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, and perchloroethylene were lurking at Camp Lejeune

According to a study published in the Occupational and Environmental Medicine, exposure to industrial solvents during pregnancy was associated with a higher risk of neural tube defects, especially spina bifida.

These solvents were present in the drinking water at Camp Lejeune, specifically trichloroethylene, vinyl chloride, and perchloroethylene.

So, pregnant women who spent time at the military base between 1953 and 1987 are at high risk of giving birth to a child with a neural tube defect.