Folate Dose-Dependently Reduces Risk of Neural Tube Defects

Folate Dose-Dependently Reduces Risk of Neural Tube Defects

BOSTON--Folic acid dose-dependently reduces therisk of neural tube defects when taken in early pregnancy, according toresearchers at Boston University School of Medicine who published their work inthe March issue of Epidemiology (14, 2:200-5, 2003) (www.epidem.com).In a prospective study, researchers used data from 23,228 women whose diet andvitamin intake data was recorded early in the second trimester of pregnancy.This data was used to determine the women's dietary folate equivalents (DFE)intake, with 1 DFE being equal to .6 mg of folic acid from fortified foods orsupplements.

For each additional 500 DFE consumed per day, the prevalence ofneural tube defects declined by .78 cases per 1,000 pregnancies. Compared withwomen having the lowest total folate intakes (0 to 149 DFE per day), theprevalence of neural tube defects declined by 34 percent, 30 percent, 56 percentand 77 percent among the offspring of those women consuming 150-399, 400-799,800-1,199 and 1,200 DFE per day, respectively. Researchers concluded theseresults indicate neural tube defects declined markedly with modest increases oftotal folate in early pregnancy. They added, "Total folate dose, ratherthan supplemental folate alone, should be considered in formulating publichealth guidelines for neural tube defect prevention."