Editorials

Folic acid and the prevention of neural tube defects

Over three years have passed since an increase in the intake of folic acid among women planning a pregnancy was shown to prevent most neural tube defects.¹ The evidence is conclusive; prevention is effective for women who have not had a pregnancy in which the fetus had a neural tube defect as well as for those who have.² National authorities have recommended that women planning a pregnancy should increase their intake of folic acid.^{3 4 5} The extra folic acid needed for a reasonable protective effect is 0.4 mg a day, twice the current average dietary intake of 0.2 mg. If no screening was carried out for neural tube defects (with subsequent abortions) about 1500 affected children would be born each year in Britain. Over 1000 of these defects could be prevented by women consuming extra folic acid. Sadly, most people are still not aware of the . . . [Full text of this article]

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