Point-of-Care Assessment of Folate Status in Women of Reproductive Age Using a Fluorescence Lateral Flow Assay.
Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc
; 2018: 3906-3909, 2018 Jul.
Article
en En
| MEDLINE
| ID: mdl-30441214
ABSTRACT
Folate is an essential vitamin to the development of a fetus in early pregnancy. Maternal folate supplementation around the time of conception has been shown to decrease the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs), a class of serious birth defects. The closure of the neural tube before the 28th day after conception necessitates that the folate intake must take place before most women know that they are pregnant. Therefore, screening women of reproductive age for folate status would allow for an improved understanding of the need for supplementation in women who could become pregnant as well as the effectiveness of current supplementation and fortification recommendations. Current folate assessment is limited to labbased assays which require expensive equipment, trained personnel, and are time-intensive. Our point-of-care diagnostic test quantifies levels of folate in human serum with the use of a lateral flow assay and a portable imaging device. We have designed an assay which uses fluorescent particles, folate binding protein, and antibodies to measure serum folate. This test could be used in resource-limited settings, where access to laboratory infrastructure is limited and where knowledge of folate status in women of reproductive age is lacking. By increasing our understanding of folate status around the world, we can improve implementation of folic acid supplementation and fortification and therefore reduce the risk of NTDs.
Texto completo:
1
Colección:
01-internacional
Base de datos:
MEDLINE
Contexto en salud:
5_ODS3_mortalidade_materna
Problema de salud:
5_maternal_care
Asunto principal:
Defectos del Tubo Neural
Tipo de estudio:
Guideline
Límite:
Female
/
Humans
/
Pregnancy
Idioma:
En
Revista:
Annu Int Conf IEEE Eng Med Biol Soc
Año:
2018
Tipo del documento:
Article