scholarly journals Primary Prevention of Neural Tube Defects

10.5772/32006 ◽  
2012 ◽  
Author(s):  
Claudine Nasr ◽  
Grace Abi
Keyword(s):  
Primary Prevention ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects

Neural Tube Defects: A Two-Pronged Approach to Primary Prevention

PEDIATRICS ◽  
1982 ◽  
Vol 70 (4) ◽  
pp. 648-650
Author(s):  
K. M. Laurence
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Primary Prevention ◽  
Environmental Factors ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Genetic Background ◽  
Genetic Factors ◽  
Maternal Nutrition ◽  
Folic Acid Deficiency ◽  
Acid Deficiency

It is generally agreed that neural tube defects (NTD) have a multifactorial etiology when genetic factors render the developing fetus susceptible to intrauterine environmental factors acting during the fourth week of gestation to interfere with the orderly closure of the neural tube.1 As there is little likelihood that anything can be done about the genetic background, primary prevention would therefore be dependent on eliminating these factors from the environment or avoiding them. My intention here is to enlarge on some aspects of primary prevention of NTD as outlined by Smithells in an earlier issue (Pediatrics 69:498, 1982).2 One environmental factor, poor maternal nutrition and, more particularly, folic acid deficiency seems now to have been identified, but there are almost certainly a number of others.

scholarly journals Primary prevention of neural tube defects with folic acid.

BMJ ◽  
1993 ◽  
Vol 306 (6877) ◽  
pp. 584-584 ◽  
Author(s):  
A Livingstone
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Primary Prevention ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects

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

1990 ◽  
Vol 10 (3) ◽  
pp. 149-152 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. G. Vergel ◽  
L. R. Sanchez ◽  
B. L. Heredero ◽  
P. L. Rodriguez ◽  
A. J. Martinez
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Primary Prevention ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Folic Acid Supplementation ◽  
Acid Supplementation

scholarly journals Neural tube defects: how many cases could have been prevented in Portugal?

2020 ◽  
Vol 30 (Supplement_5) ◽  
Author(s):  
P Braz ◽  
A Machado ◽  
I Kislaya ◽  
C M Dias
Keyword(s):  
Folic Acid ◽  
Primary Prevention ◽  
Neural Tube ◽  
Neural Tube Defects ◽  
Temporal Evolution ◽  
Cross Sectional Study ◽  
National Registry ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Foetal Life ◽  
Using Data

Abstract Neural tube defects (NTD) occurs when the neural tube does not close properly until the 28th day of foetal life. About 70% of NTD can be prevent if women start folic acid (FA) before pregnancy and until the end of 1st trimester. Portugal has this primary prevention since 1998, however the secondary prevention of NTD with TOPFA is still high (80%). The aim of this study is to describe when FA intake was started and estimate the number of cases that would have be prevented if FA intake started before pregnancy as recommended. A cross-sectional study using data from the National Registry of Congenital Anomalies between 2004-2017 was performed. The temporal evolution of the beginning of FA intake was analysed with Cochran-Armitage test for proportions. The proportion of preventable cases was estimated considering the 70% prevention fraction and the number of NTD cases registered in RENAC that occurred in pregnancies without the recommended FA supplementation. On average, 13.8% of all women started FA before pregnancy, 46.2% during 1st trimester and 6.1% did not take folic acid. A statistically significant trend (p < 0.001) was observed in the group that started before pregnancy with increase from 6.8% in 2004 to 17.9% in 2017. The prevalence of NTD was 4.2 cases / 10,000 births, ranging from 2 cases / 10,000 births (2007) to 7 cases / 10,000 births (2014). Between women who had a pregnancy with NTD, 16.8% started FA before pregnancy, 42.2% in the 1st trimester and 9.7% did not take the supplement. If all women had started FA before pregnancy, an estimated 202 NTD cases could have been prevented. In Portugal, the proportion of women who adhere to this measure is very low, similarly to other European countries, compromising the primary prevention of NTD. Perhaps due to the high percentage of TOPFA, the idea that this anomalies continue to affect our children has been lost. Primary prevention of NTDs should be encouraged with measures that promote FA supplementation. Key messages Primary prevention of NTD is possible. Proportion of women who adhere to primary prevention is low.

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