The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Public Health Agency of Canada and the UK Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) recommended amount of folic acid for women of childbearing age and women planning to become pregnant is at least 0.4 mg/day of folic acid from at least three months before conception, and continued for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Women who have already had a baby with spina bifida or other type of neural tube defect, or are taking anticonvulsant medication, should take a higher dose of 4–5 mg/day.Certain mutations in the gene VANGL1 have been linked with spina bifida in some families with a history of the condition. Screening
Open spina bifida can usually be detected during pregnancy by fetal ultrasound. Increased levels of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein (MSAFP) should be followed up by two tests – an ultrasound of the fetal spine and amniocentesis of the mothers amniotic fluid (to test for alpha-fetoprotein and acetylcholinesterase). AFP tests are now mandated by some state laws (including California) and failure to provide them can have legal ramifications. In one case, a man born with spina bifida was awarded a $2-million settlement after court found his mothers OBGYN negligent for not performing these tests. Spina bifida may be associated with other malformations as in dysmorphic syndromes, often resulting in spontaneous miscarriage.
Placentitis is an inflammation of the placenta. The main forms of placentitis are:

Villitis, inflammation of chorionic villi. Intervillositis, inflammation of the intervillous space.It may be caused by vertically transmitted infections. Because of the close proximity, placentitis often occurs simultaneously as funisitis (inflammation of the umbilical cord) and chorioamnionitis (inflammation of the fetal membranes). Chronic lymphocytic placental inflammation occurs in 5% to 15% of pregnancies, and are generally not associated with documented infection. Villitis of unknown etiology
Villitis of unknown etiology (VUE), also known as chronic villitis, is a placental injury. VUE is an inflammatory condition involving the chorionic villi (placental villi). VUE is a recurrent condition and can be associated with intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR). IUGR involves the poor growth of the foetus, stillbirth, miscarriage, and premature delivery. VUE recurs in about 1/3 of subsequent pregnancies.VUE is a common lesion characterised by inflammation in the placental chorionic villi. VUE is also characterised by the transfer of maternal lymphocytes across the placenta.VUE is diagnosed in 7–10% placentas in pregnancies. Roughly 80% of the VUE cases are in term placentas (greater than 37 weeks of pregnancy). A case of VUE in a placenta less than 32 weeks old should be screened for infectious villitis. Chronic histiocytic intervillositis
Chronic Histiocytic Intervillositis (CHI or CHIV) also known as Chronic Intervillositis of Unknown (A)etiology (CIUE) and Massive Chronic Intervillositis (MCI) is defined as a diffuse infiltration of mononuclear cells (histiocytes, lymphocytes, monocytes) of maternal origin into the intervillous space within the placenta.