Folic Acid and Neural Tube Defects in Pregnancy: A Review

Journal of Perinatal and Neonatal Nursing

Volumn 17, Issue 4, 2003, Pages 268-279

  Geisel, Janet ^a  

^a UNIVERSITY AT BUFFALO   (United States)

Author keywords

Anencephaly; Folate; Folic acid; Meningomyelocele; Neural tube defects; Pregnancy; Spina bifida

Indexed keywords

EID: 56949091450     PISSN: 08932190     EISSN: 15505073     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: 10.1097/00005237-200310000-00005     Document Type: Article

References (60)

1. Yoon PW, Rasmussen SA, Lynberg MC, et al. The National Birth Defects Prevention Study. Public Health Rep. 2001;116(suppl 1):32-40.
2. Cunningham FG, et al. Williams Obstetrics. 21st ed. New York: McGraw-Hill; 2003.
3. Lucock M, Daskalakis I, Hinkins M, Yates Z. An examination of polymorphic genes and folate metabolism in mothers affected by a spina bifida pregnancy. Mol Genet Metab. August 2001;73(4):322-332.
4. Refsum H. Folate, vitamin B12 and homocysteine in relation to birth defects and pregnancy outcome. Br J Nutr. May 2001;85(suppl 2):S109-S113.
5. Wilson A, Platt R, Wu Q, et al. A common variant in methionine synthase reductase combined with low cobalamin (vitamin B12) increases risk for spina bifida. Mol Genet Metab. August 1999;67(4):317-323.
6. CDC. Recommendations for the use of folic acid to reduce the number of cases of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. September 11, 1992;41(RR-14):1-7.
7. MRC Vitamin Study Research Group. Prevention of neural tube defects: results of the Medical Research Council Vitamin Study. Lancet. July 20, 1991;338(8760):131-137.
8. Czeizel A, Dudas I. Prevention of the first occurrence of neural-tube defects by periconceptional vitamin supplementation. N Engl J Med. December 24, 1992;327(26):1832-1835.
9. Locksmith GJ, Duff P. Preventing neural tube defects: the importance of periconceptional folic acid supplements. Obstet Gynecol. June 1998;91(6):1027-1034.
10. Keeling JW, ed. Fetal and Neonatal Pathology. 3rd ed. London: Springer-Verlag; 2001.
11. Molloy AM. Is impaired folate absorption a factor in neural tube defects? Am J Clin Nutr. July 2000;72(1):3-4.
12. Boddie AM, Dedlow ER, Nackashi JA, et al. Folate absorption in women with a history of neural tube defect-affected pregnancy. Am J Clin Nutr. July 2000;72(1):154-158.
13. Mathews C, KE vH, Ahern K. Biochemistry. 3rd ed. San Francisco: Benjamin/Cummings; 2000.
14. Kirke PN, Molloy AM, Daly LE, Burke H, Weir DG, Scott JM. Maternal plasma folate and vitamin B12 are independent risk factors for neural tube defects. Q J Med. November 1993;86(11):703-708.
15. Poirier LA. The effects of diet, genetics and chemicals on toxicity and aberrant DNA methylation: an introduction. J Nutr. August 2002;132(8, suppl):2336S-2339S.
16. Mills JL, McPartlin JM, Kirke PN, et al. Homocysteine metabolism in pregnancies complicated by neural-tube defects. Lancet. January 21, 1995;345(8943):149-151.
17. Rosenquist TH, Ratashak SA, Selhub J. Homocysteine induces congenital defects of the heart and neural tube: effect of folic acid. Proc Natl Acad Sci USA. December 24, 1996;93(26):15227-15232.
18. Shoob HD, Sargent RG, Thompson SJ, Best RG, Drane JW, Tocharoen A. Dietary methionine is involved in the etiology of neural tube defect-affected pregnancies in humans. J Nutr. October 2001;131(10):2653-2658.
19. Molloy AM, Mills JL, Kirke PN, et al. Low blood folates in NTD pregnancies are only partly explained by thermolabile 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase: low folate status alone may be the critical factor. Am J Med Genet. June 30, 1998;78(2):155-159.
20. Brody LC, Conley M, Cox C, et al. A polymorphism, R653Q, in the trifunctional enzyme methyl-enetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase/methenyltetra-hydrofolate cyclohydrolase/formyltetrahydrofolate synthetase is a maternal genetic risk factor for neural tube defects: report of the Birth Defects Research Group. Am J Hum Genet. November 2002;71(5):1207-1215.
21. Lucock M, Daskalakis I, Briggs D, Yates Z, Levene M. Altered folate metabolism and disposition in mothers affected by a spina bifida pregnancy: influence of 677c → t methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase and 2756a → g methionine synthase genotypes. Mol Genet Metab. May 2000;70(1):27-44.
22. Hernandez-Diaz S, Werler MM, Walker AM, Mitchell AA. Neural tube defects in relation to use of folic acid antagonists during pregnancy. Am J Epidemiol. May 15, 2001;153(10):961-968.
23. Samren EB, van Duijn CM, Christiaens GC, Hofman A, Lindhout D. Antiepileptic drug regimens and major congenital abnormalities in the offspring. Ann Neurol. November 1999;46(5):739-746.
24. Gutierrez K. Pharmacotherapeutics—Clinical Decision-Making in Nursing. Philadelphia: Saunders; 1999.
25. American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP). Press statement on increasing folic acid levels to prevent neural tube birth defects; 1998.
26. ACOG. Folic acid for the prevention of recurrent neural tube defects. ACOG Committee Opinion. Committee on Obstetrics: Maternal and Fetal Medicine Number 120—March 1993. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. July 1993;42(1):75-77.
27. US Preventive Services Task Force. Guide to Clinical Preventive Services: Report of the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. 2nd ed. Baltimore: Williams & Wilkins; 1996.
28. CDC. Effectiveness in disease and injury prevention: use of folic acid for prevention of spina bifida and other neural tube defects, 1983-1991. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. August 1, 1991;40(30):513-516.
29. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Food standards. Fed Regist. 1996;61:8781-8797.
30. ACOG educational bulletin. Seizure disorders in pregnancy. Number 231, December 1996. Committee on Educational Bulletins of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Int J Gynaecol Obstet. March 1997;56(3):279-286.
31. Daly S, Mills JL, Molloy AM, et al. Minimum effective dose of folic acid for food fortification to prevent neural-tube defects. Lancet. December 6, 1997;350(9092):1666-1669.
32. Rothman KJ, Moore LL, Singer MR, Nguyen US, Mannino S, Milunsky A. Teratogenicity of high vitamin A intake. N Engl J Med. November 23, 1995;333(21):1369-1373.
33. Shaw GM, Velie EM, Schaffer D, Lammer EJ. Periconceptional intake of vitamin A among women and risk of neural tube defect-affected pregnancies. Teratology. February 1997;55(2):132-133.
34. Tettenborn B, Genton P, Polson D. Epilepsy and women's issue: an update. Epileptic Disorders. October 2002;4(suppl 2):23-32.
35. Janssen PA, Rothman I, Schwartz SM. Congenital malformations in newborns of women with established and gestational diabetes in Washington State, 1984-1991. Paediatr Perinat Epidemiol. January 1996;10(1):52-63.
36. Milunsky A, Ulcickas M, Rothman KJ, Willett W, Jick SS, Jick H. Maternal heat exposure and neural tube defects. JAMA. August 19, 1992;268(7):882-885.
37. Shaw GM, Todoroff K, Velie EM, Lammer EJ. Maternal illness, including fever and medication use as risk factors for neural tube defects. Teratology. January 1998;57(1):1-7.
38. Kramer RL, Yaron Y, O'Brien JE, et al. Effect of adjustment of maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein levels in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus. Am J Med Genet. January 13, 1998;75(2):176-178.
39. Crossley JA, Berry E, Aitken DA, Connor JM. Insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus and prenatal screening results: current experience from a regional screening programme. Prenat Diagn. November 1996;16(11):1039-1042.
40. Sancken U, Bartels I. Biochemical screening for chromosomal disorders and neural tube defects (NTD): is adjustment of maternal alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) still appropriate in insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (IDDM)? Prenat Diagn. May 2001;21(5):383-386.
41. ASHG. American Society of Human Genetic policy statement for maternal serum alpha-fetoprotein screening programs and quality control for laboratories performing maternal serum and amniotic fluid alpha-fetoprotein assays. Am J Hum Genet. 1987;40:7-82.
42. Steen MT, Boddie AM, Fisher AJ, et al. Neural-tube defects are associated with low concentrations of cobalamin (vitamin B12) in amniotic fluid. Prenat Diagn. June 1998;18(6):545-555.
43. Honein MA, Paulozzi LJ, Mathews TJ, Erickson JD, Wong LY. Impact of folic acid fortification of the US food supply on the occurrence of neural tube defects. JAMA. June 20, 2001;285(23):2981-2986.
44. CDC. Folic acid awareness and use among women with a history of a neural tube defect pregnancy—Texas, 2000-2001. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. September 13, 2002;51(RR-13):16-19.
45. US Department of Health and Human Services. Healthy People 2010: Understanding and Improving Health. Vol 16. 2nd ed. Washington, DC: Government Printing Office; 2000:41.
46. CDC. Serum folate levels among women attending family planning clinics—Georgia, 2000. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. September 13, 2002;51(RR-13):4-8.
47. CDC. Sociodemographic patterns in spina bifida birth prevalence trends—North Carolina, 1995-1999. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. September 13, 2002;51(RR-13):12-15.
48. CDC. Knowledge and use of folic acid by women of childbearing age—United States, 1995 and 1998. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. April 30, 1999;48(16):325-327.
49. CDC. Use of folic acid-containing supplements among women of childbearing age—United States, 1997. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. February 27, 1998;47(7):131-134.
50. CDC. Knowledge and use of folic acid by women of childbearing age—United States, 1995. MMWR Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. September 29, 1995;44(38):716-718.
51. Bonin MM, Bretzlaff JA, Therrien SA, Rowe BH. Knowledge of periconceptional folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects. The missing links. Northeastern Ontario Primary Care Research Group. Arch Fam Med. September-October 1998;7(5):438-442.
52. Canfield MA, Anderson JL, Waller DK, Palmer SE, Kaye CI. Folic acid awareness and use among women with a history of a neural tube defect pregnancy—Texas, 2000-2001. MMWR Recomm Rep. September 13, 2002;51(RR-13):16-19.
53. Rinsky-Eng J, Miller L. Knowledge, use, and education regarding folic acid supplementation: continuation study of women in Colorado who had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect. Teratology. 2002;66(suppl 1):S29-31.
54. Morin P, De Wals P, Noiseux M, Niyonsenga T, St-Cyr-Tribble D, Tremblay C. Pregnancy planning and folic acid supplement use: results from a survey in Quebec. Prev Med. August 2002;35(2):143-149.
55. McDonnell R, Johnson Z, Doyle A, Sayers G. Folic acid knowledge and use among expectant mothers in 1997: a comparison with 1996. Ir Med J. April 1999;92(3):296-299.
56. Chan A, Pickering J, Haan E, et al. “Folate before pregnancy”: the impact on women and health professionals of a population-based health promotion campaign in South Australia. Med J Aust. June 18, 2001;174(12):631-636.
57. de Weerd S, Thomas CM, Cikot RJ, Steegers-Theunissen RP, de Boo TM, Steegers EA. Preconception counseling improves folate status of women planning pregnancy. Obstet Gynecol. January 2002;99(1):45-50.
58. Power ML, Holzman GB, Schulkin J. Knowledge and clinical practice regarding folic acid among obstetrician—gynecologists. Obstet Gynecol. June 2000;95(6, pt 1):895-898.
59. Alto WA, Czarnecki DF. Pregnancy tests and folic acid. J Reprod Med. 2002;47(9):776.
60. CDC. Spina bifida and anencephaly prevalence—United States, 1991-2000. Morb Mortal Wkly Rep. September 13, 2002;51(RR-13):9-11.