Vitamin C Deficiency In Pregnant Women Can Lead To Irreversible Brain Damage In Infants

A lack of adequate vitamin C intake by pregnant women can lead to irreversible brain damage, according to a new study by Danish researchers. The problem is global, the researchers said, because population studies show that as many as one in five people around the world do not get enough vitamin C in their diet. Even a marginal vitamin C deficiency in an expectant mother stunts the fetal hippocampus, the important memory center, by 10 to 15 percent. That prevents the brain from developing optimally, and damage cannot be repaired, even when vitamin C is given to the baby after birth.