Advertisement
ADVANCED SEARCH

This Article Full Text Full Text (PDF) Submit a response Alert me when this article is cited Alert me when eLetters are posted Alert me if a correction is posted Citation Map Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Gucciardi, E. Articles by Rouleau, J. Search for Related Content PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Gucciardi, E. Articles by Rouleau, J. Related Collections Maternal-fetal medicine Genetics Pregnancy

Incidence of neural tube defects in Ontario, 1986–1999

Enza Gucciardi^*, Mary-Anne Pietrusiak, Donna L. Reynolds and Jocelyn Rouleau

From *the University Health Network Women's Health Program, Toronto, Ont.; the Durham Region Health Department, Whitby, Ont.; and the Reproductive Health Section, Health Surveillance and Epidemiology Division, Health Canada, Ottawa, Ont.

Correspondence to: Enza Gucciardi, University Health Network Women's Health Program, Mulock/Larkin Wing, 2nd floor, Rm. 2-010, 657 University Ave., Toronto ON M5G 2N2; fax 416 340-4185; enza.gucciardi{at}uhn.on.ca

Background: Prenatal screening and the promotion of folic acid intake could affect the incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs). We examined trends in the total NTD incidence, as detected in live births, stillbirths and therapeutic abortions, from 1986 to 1999 in Ontario.

Methods: To capture cases of NTDs we used data from the Canadian Congenital Anomalies Surveillance System and hospital data on therapeutic abortions. We calculated the total incidence of NTDs by combining the numbers of NTDs occurring in live births, stillbirths and therapeutic abortions.

Results: The total NTD incidence rate increased from 11.7 per 10 000 pregnancies in 1986 to 16.2 per 10 000 in 1995, and it subsequently decreased to 8.6 per 10 000 by 1999. The NTD birth rate (live births and stillbirths) decreased from 10.6 per 10 000 births in 1986 to 5.3 per 10 000 in 1999. The rate of therapeutic abortions with an NTD or hydrocephalus rose from 17.5 per 10 000 abortions in 1986 to 50.7 per 10 000 in 1995 and fell to 28.7 per 10 000 abortions in 1999.

Interpretation: The total NTD incidence rate increased from 1986 to 1995, probably because of increased prenatal screening and better detection of NTDs. The decline from 1995 to 1999 may have been due to increased folic acid intake among women at the time of conception.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y.-I. Kim Folic Acid Supplementation and Cancer Risk: Point Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., September 1, 2008; 17(9): 2220 - 2225. [Full Text] [PDF]

				M. Bognar, A. Ponyi, P. Hauser, J. Muller, T. Constantin, Z. Jakab, D. Schuler, and M. Garami Improper Supplementation Habits of Folic Acid Intake by Hungarian Pregnant Women: Improper Recommendations J. Am. Coll. Nutr., August 1, 2008; 27(4): 499 - 504. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. B. Mikkelsen, S. F. Olsen, S. E. Rasmussen, and M. Osler Relative validity of fruit and vegetable intake estimated by the food frequency questionnaire used in the Danish National Birth Cohort Scand J Public Health, March 1, 2007; 35(2): 172 - 179. [Abstract] [PDF]

				J. Blacher, S. Czernichow, M. Raphael, C. Roussel, B. Chadefaux-Vekemans, G. Morineau, S. Giraudier, A. Tibi, O. Henry, M. Vayssiere, et al. Very Low Oral Doses of Vitamin B-12 Increase Serum Concentrations in Elderly Subjects with Food-Bound Vitamin B-12 Malabsorption J. Nutr., February 1, 2007; 137(2): 373 - 378. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				C. M. Ulrich and J. D. Potter Folate supplementation: too much of a good thing? Cancer Epidemiol. Biomarkers Prev., February 1, 2006; 15(2): 189 - 193. [Full Text] [PDF]

				V. Ganji and M. R. Kafai Trends in Serum Folate, RBC Folate, and Circulating Total Homocysteine Concentrations in the United States: Analysis of Data from National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys, 1988-1994, 1999-2000, and 2001-2002 J. Nutr., January 1, 2006; 136(1): 153 - 158. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				T. Nathoo, C. P. Holmes, and A. Ostry An analysis of the development of Canadian food fortification policies: the case of vitamin B Health Promot. Int., December 1, 2005; 20(4): 375 - 382. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. D. Grosse, N. J. Waitzman, P. S. Romano, and J. Mulinare Reevaluating the Benefits of Folic Acid Fortification in the United States: Economic Analysis, Regulation, and Public Health Am J Public Health, November 1, 2005; 95(11): 1917 - 1922. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-I. Kim Will mandatory folic acid fortification prevent or promote cancer? Am. J. Clinical Nutrition, November 1, 2004; 80(5): 1123 - 1128. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				Y.-I. Kim Role of Folate in Colon Cancer Development and Progression J. Nutr., November 1, 2003; 133(11): 3731S - 3739. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				L. B. Bailey, G. C. Rampersaud, and G. P. A. Kauwell Folic Acid Supplements and Fortification Affect the Risk for Neural Tube Defects, Vascular Disease and Cancer: Evolving Science, J. Nutr., June 1, 2003; 133(6): 1961S - 1968. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				R. A. Kadir and D. L. Economides Neural tube defects and periconceptional folic acid Can. Med. Assoc. J., August 1, 2002; 167(3): 255 - 256. [Full Text] [PDF]

HOME	CURRENT ISSUE	PAST ISSUES	COLLECTIONS	HELP	SEARCH
Copyright 1995-2002, Canadian Medical Association. All rights reserved. ISSN 1488-2329 (e) 0820-3946 (p) All editorial matter in CMAJ represents the opinions of the authors and not necessarily those of the Canadian Medical Association.