Which vitamin is essential for healthy fetal development in pregnant women?

Vitamin B9, also known as folate or folic acid in its synthetic form, is crucial for healthy fetal development during pregnancy. It plays a significant role in DNA synthesis, cell division, and overall growth. Adequate levels of folate are essential to prevent neural tube defects, which affect the brain and spinal cord of the developing fetus. It is recommended that women who are planning to become pregnant or who are pregnant consume sufficient amounts of folate to support optimal fetal health. Folate is found naturally in foods like leafy greens, legumes, and fortified cereals, and supplementation is often recommended to ensure that enough is present during the critical stages of fetal development.

In contrast, while other vitamins such as B7 (biotin), C, and D have their own important functions in the body, they are not specifically linked to the prevention of neural tube defects or overall growth and development of the fetus in the same critical way that Vitamin B9 is.