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Primary prevention of neural tube defects with folic acid supplementation: Cuban experience
Author(s) -
Vergel R. G.,
Sanchez L. R.,
Heredero B. L.,
Rodriguez P. L.,
Martinez A. J.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
prenatal diagnosis
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.956
H-Index - 97
eISSN - 1097-0223
pISSN - 0197-3851
DOI - 10.1002/pd.1970100303
Subject(s) - neural tube , folic acid , folic acid supplementation , medicine , offspring , pregnancy , neural tube defect , primary prevention , pediatrics , physiology , obstetrics , biology , disease , genetics , embryo
Folic acid (5 mg) was given daily, for not less than one menstrual period before conception and until the tenth week of pregnancy, to 81 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 short of the full regime. In another 114 women who became pregnant without folic acid supplementation (US), there were four NTD recurrences (3.5 per cent). Our results suggest that folic acid supplementation might be an effective method of primary prevention of neural tube defects.