More and more teen girls are getting gastric bypass surgery. This happens to be linked to an increased risk of neural tube defects in the babies of these teen girls. Yikes!
A small study done found a connection between teens who recently had gastric bypass and those who had babies with defects such as spinal bifida.
Patients who had bypass have a hard time absorbing nutrients, including folic acid, which helps prevent these neural tube defects.
Taking a folic acid supplement can help reduce these risks, however it has been known that teens often forget to take medication.
If teen girls do get gastric bypass surgery they should be made aware of the risks and the importance of using birth control during this time.
[Image via AP Images.]