Decline of neural tube defects cases after a folic acid campaign in Nuevo Le�n, M�xico (original) (raw)

Primary prevention of neural tube defects with folic acid supplementation: Cuban experience

Prenatal Diagnosis, 1990

Folic ;acid ( 5 mg) was given daily, for not less than one menstrual period before conception and until the tenth week of pregnancy, to 8 1 women (FS) with a history of a previous neural tube defect (NTD) birth. There was no NTD recurrence among this group or among the offspring of a further 20 women (PS) whose folic acid supplementation fell sh'ort of the full regime. In another I14 women who became pregnant without folic acid supplementation (IJS), there were four NTD recurrences (3.5 per cent). Our results suggest that folk acid supplementation might be an effective method of primary prevention of neural tube defects.

Weekly Administration of Folic Acid and Epidemiology of Neural Tube Defects

Maternal and Child Health Journal, 2006

Objective: In 1999, a folic acid campaign for prevention of neural tube defects was started in Nuevo León, México, with the recommendation of taking a 5000 -mcg tablet of folic acid per week. The purpose of this study was to compare the epidemiology of neural tube defects after four years of the campaign. Methods: Cases of anencephaly, spina bifida, and encephalocele (ICD Q00, Q01, Q05, 10th Ed.) from public and private hospitals were registered by immediate notification, death certificates, and fetal death registries. Comparisons of neural tube defects rates, phenotype distribution of cases, and sex ratios, registered before and after the folic acid campaign, were done using the Student’s t Test and Chi square test. Results: There was a 50% reduction in the incidence of anencephaly and spina bifida cases from 93 in 1999 (1.04×1000) to 46 in the year 2003 (0.56×1000) (p < 0.001). Spina bifida cases declined up to 70% in 2002 and anencephaly cases up to 50% in 2003. In 1999, overall, the ratio (females: males) was 0.66 with female excess; the sex ratio was similar for anencephaly and spina bifida cases. In the year 2000, female cases showed a significant reduction for both spina bifida and anencephaly (75% and 56% respectively); the sex ratio was 0.57 with a greater male excess for both phenotypes. Conclusions: Weekly administration of 5000 mcg of folic acid reduces the incidence of neural tube defects 50%, primarily spina bifida, with a higher reduction of female cases.

Prevention of Neural Tube Defects by Folic Acid Supplementation: A National Population-Based Study

Nutrients

Folic acid supplementation is recommended for neural tube defect prevention during pregnancy. We conducted an observational, retrospective national registry study to determine the rate of dispensing of periconceptional folic acid after prescription in a sample of French women representative of the general population. Our study population (n = 186,061) was a representative sample of the French population, recorded in the Health Data System database on pharmacy dispensing of medication and mandatory reporting of pregnancy. Between 2006 and 2016, 14.3% of pregnant women had a prescription for folic acid supplementation during the month preceding conception and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Of these prescriptions, 30.9% were issued before the start of pregnancy. This percentage was lower for first pregnancies. The rate of pharmacy dispensing during the preconception period increased progressively from 3.8% to 8.3% between 2006 and 2016. In France, the rate of pharmacy dispensing ...

Folic acid to reduce neonatal mortality from neural tube disorders

International Journal of Epidemiology, 2010

Background Neural tube defects (NTDs) remain an important, preventable cause of mortality and morbidity. High-income countries have reported large reductions in NTDs associated with folic acid supplementation or fortification. The burden of NTDs in low-income countries and the effectiveness of folic acid fortification/supplementation are unclear.

Folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects

Revista Brasileira de Ginecologia e Obstetrícia, 2013

Evidence from controlled trials suggests that ingestion of 0.4 mg of folic acid per day in the periconceptional period is effective in preventing neural tube defects (NTD). For this reason, most countries recommend that women planning pregnancy take folic acid supplements in the periconceptional period, and some countries even fortify stable foods with folic acid. Denmark exemplifies a country with a relatively conservative attitude with respect to taking action in these matters. In 1999, a national information campaign was launched that recommended women planning pregnancy take 0.4 mg of folic acid periconceptionally, but with the moderation that women who eat a healthy diet do not need to take folic acid supplement. The campaign was repeated during 2001. The results of the latter campaign were evaluated by using data from a national survey among pregnant women conducted simultaneously with the campaign by the Danish National Birth Cohort. An increase in the proportion of folic acid users took place concomitantly with the launching of the information events, but the increase was limited. Among women who did not plan their pregnancy, a small proportion had taken folic acid supplements periconceptionally, and this proportion did not change concomitantly with the campaign. Young age and low education were factors associated with low likelihood of taking folic acid. It seems that different and more efficient actions are needed if a more substantial proportion of Danish women and their fetuses are going to benefit from the knowledge that folic acid supplementation in the periconceptional period can prevent NTD.

Relation of neural tube defects with folic acid use during pregnancy

Annals of medical research, 2018

The objective of this study was to investigate the rate of neural tube defects (NTD) and the clinical features of newborns of mothers who did not use folic acid (FA) in their pregnancies. Material and methods: The data of a total of 82 newborns, who were diagnosed with meningomyelocele were operated and examined, retrospectively. The newborns were divided into two groups depending on whether their mothers used FA during pregnancy or not. Results: The mothers of 37 (45.1%) newborns used FA during the antenatal period, whereas those of 45 (54.9%) newborns did not. The mean birth weight of the newborns whose mothers did not use FA were lower. Furthermore 9 (25%) newborns whose mothers did not use FA were delivered via cesarean section.The incidence of meningomyelocele was 80% for 45 newborns with NTDs whose mothers did not use FA. Conclusion: Our results revealed that the mean birth weight was lower while the incidence of meningomyelocele was significantly higher in newborn infants whose mothers did not use FA.