F Cortés1, C Mellado, E Hertrampf, A Alliende, S Castillo. 1. Instituto de Nutrición y Tecnología de los Alimento (INTA), Universidad de Chile, Servicio de Genética, Hospital Clínico de la Universidad de Chile, José Joaquín Aguirre, Santiago, Chile. fcortes@uec.inta.uchile.cl
Abstract
BACKGROUND: Fortification of wheat flour with folic acid in Chile, started in January 2000. This fortification should decrease the incidence of neural tube defects. AIM: To study the incidence of neural tube defects among Chilean newborns, during 1999. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The records of all newborns and stillbirths with a birth weight over 500 g from 9 public maternity hospitals in Santiago in 1999, were reviewed. All neural tube defects, associated or not to other malformations were taken into account. RESULTS: During the study period, 59.627 newborns and 455 stillbirths were analyzed. The global incidence of neural tube defects was 1.56 per 1.000 born (57% women, 42% men and 1% ambiguous sex). Spina bifida was the most frequent neural tube defect found. CONCLUSION: These baseline data will be useful to assess the impact of folic acid fortification of wheat flour.
BACKGROUND: Fortification of wheat flour with folic acid in Chile, started in January 2000. This fortification should decrease the incidence of neural tube defects. AIM: To study the incidence of neural tube defects among Chilean newborns, during 1999. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The records of all newborns and stillbirths with a birth weight over 500 g from 9 public maternity hospitals in Santiago in 1999, were reviewed. All neural tube defects, associated or not to other malformations were taken into account. RESULTS: During the study period, 59.627 newborns and 455 stillbirths were analyzed. The global incidence of neural tube defects was 1.56 per 1.000 born (57% women, 42% men and 1% ambiguous sex). Spina bifida was the most frequent neural tube defect found. CONCLUSION: These baseline data will be useful to assess the impact of folic acid fortification of wheat flour.
Authors: Erika Castaño; Lorena Caviedes; Sandra Hirsch; Miguel Llanos; Germán Iñiguez; Ana María Ronco Journal: PLoS One Date: 2017-01-19 Impact factor: 3.240