BMJ  2005;330 (12 March), doi:10.1136/bmj.330.7491.0-c

Encouraging the use of folic acid is not enough

Advising women to take folic acid during pregnancy did not decrease the incidence of neural tube defects. Botto and colleagues (p 571) analysed 13 birth registries from Europe and Israel and found no changes in the trend of incidence of neural tube defects between 1988 and 1998, even though the use of folic acid supplements had been promoted. Public health agencies and medical professionals should consider implementing food fortification programmes, say the authors.

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Relevant Article

International retrospective cohort study of neural tube defects in relation to folic acid recommendations: are the recommendations working?

Lorenzo D Botto, Alessandra Lisi, Elisabeth Robert-Gnansia, J David Erickson, Stein Emil Vollset, Pierpaolo Mastroiacovo, Beverley Botting, Guido Cocchi, Catherine de Vigan, Hermien de Walle, Maria Feijoo, Lorentz M Irgens, Bob McDonnell, Paul Merlob, Annukka Ritvanen, Gioacchino Scarano, Csaba Siffel, Julia Metneki, Claude Stoll, Richard Smithells, and Janine Goujard
BMJ 2005 330: 571. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]