Prevention of neural tube defects in the UK: a missed opportunity.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

In 1991, the Medical Research Council (MRC) Vitamin Study demonstrated that folic acid taken before pregnancy and in early pregnancy reduced the risk of a neural tube defect (NTD). We aimed to estimate the number of NTD pregnancies that would have been prevented if flour had been fortified with folic acid in the UK from 1998 as it had been in the USA.

Design

Estimates of NTD prevalence, the preventive effect of folic acid and the proportion of women taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy were used to predict the number of NTD pregnancies that would have been prevented if folic acid fortification had been implemented.

Setting

Eight congenital anomaly registers in England and Wales.

Main outcome measures

The prevalence of pregnancies with an NTD

SUBMITTER: Morris JK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4941168 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature