Red Blood Cell Folate Insufficiency among nonpregnant Women of Childbearing age in Guatemala 2009 to 2010: Prevalence and predicted Neural Tube Defects risk.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The World Health Organization recently released recommendations stating that red blood cell (RBC) folate concentrations should be above 400 ng/L (906 nmol/L) for optimal prevention of folate-sensitive neural tube defects (NTDs). The objective of this study was to determine the distribution of folate insufficiency (FI) (<906 nmol/L) and potential risk of NTDs based on RBC folate concentrations among nonpregnant women of child-bearing age in Guatemala.

Methods

A national and regional multistage cluster probability survey was completed during 2009 to 2010 among Guatemalan women of child-bearing age 15 to 49 years of age. Demographic and health information and blood samples for RBC folate analyses were collected from 1473 women. Prevalence rate ratios of FI and predic

SUBMITTER: Rosenthal J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC4947002 | biostudies-literature | 2016 Jul

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature