護理師與孕婦討論營養需求。哪種營養素對於預防胎兒神經管缺陷至關重要？

懷孕期間的營養攝取對胎兒發育至關重要。葉酸（Folic acid，維生素 B9）是合成 DNA 與細胞分裂所需的關鍵營養素。在懷孕早期（受孕前後），葉酸對於胎兒神經管（Neural tube）的閉合至關重要。若缺乏葉酸，胎兒極易發生神經管缺陷（NTDs），如脊柱裂（Spina bifida）或無腦症。因此，備孕女性與孕早期婦女應每日補充適量葉酸。

Nutritional intake during pregnancy is crucial for fetal development. Folic acid (vitamin B9) is a key nutrient required for DNA synthesis and cell division. During early pregnancy (around the time of conception), folic acid is essential for the closure of the fetal neural tube. Folic acid deficiency makes the fetus highly prone to neural tube defects (NTDs), such as spina bifida or anencephaly. Therefore, women planning pregnancy and those in early pregnancy should take a daily folic acid supplement.