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Folic Acid Intake and Neural Tube Defects: Two Egyptian Centers Experience.
El-Shabrawi, Mortada H; Kamal, Naglaa Mohamed; Elhusseini, Mona Abbas; Hussein, Laila; Abdallah, Enas Abdallah Ali; Ali, Yahia Zakaria Abdelalim; Azab, Ahmed Abelfattah; Salama, Mostafa Abdelazim; Kassab, Muna; Krawinkel, Michael.
Affiliation
  • El-Shabrawi MH; From the Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt (MHE-S); Associate Professor of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hepatology, Faculty of Medicine, Cairo University, Cairo, Egypt (NMK); Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist, Red Crescent Hospital, Ministry of Health and Population, Cairo, Egypt (MAE); Professor of Nutrition, Institute of Nutritional Sciences, University of Giessen, Giessen, Germany (MK); Professor of Nutrition, National Res
Medicine (Baltimore) ; 94(37): e1395, 2015 Sep.
Article in En | MEDLINE | ID: mdl-26376380
ABSTRACT
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are a group of congenital malformations with worldwide distribution and complex etiopathogenesis. Folic acid plays a pivotal role in their prevention. We aimed to identify the protective effect of folic acid intake against NTDs and its dependence on different socioeconomic and environmental factors in a cohort of mothers in Egypt. A cross-sectional study was carried over a period of 12 months on mothers who gave birth to babies with NTDs (group 1) and a control group with healthy offsprings (group 2). Both groups completed 2 questionnaires food frequency questionnaire targeting the daily folate intake, and socioeconomic status and medical history questionnaire. Both groups of mothers received folate <800 µg/day, recommended for pregnant women. A strong association was detected between NTDs and urban residency with medium educated mothers, with negative consanguinity, who had folate intake < 400 µg daily, and who had their food long cooked. Each of these factors separately had a limited impact to cause NTDs, but when present together they did augment each other. Interestingly enough is the role of fava bean, cauliflower, spinach, and mango in predisposing of NTDs in the presence of the above-mentioned factors. The protective effect of folic acid intake against NTDs may depend on the synergism of different socioeconomic and environmental factors (which differ from country to another). In Egypt, females especially the medium-educated who live in urban areas should be well-informed with the value of folate intake in the periconceptional period.
Subject(s)

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Vitamin B Complex / Folic Acid / Neural Tube Defects Type of study: Clinical_trials / Observational_studies / Prognostic_studies / Risk_factors_studies Limits: Adolescent / Adult / Female / Humans / Pregnancy Country/Region as subject: Africa Language: En Journal: Medicine (Baltimore) Year: 2015 Document type: Article

Full text: 1 Collection: 01-internacional Database: MEDLINE Main subject: Vitamin B Complex / Folic Acid / Neural Tube Defects Type of study: Clinical_trials / Observational_studies / Prognostic_studies / Risk_factors_studies Limits: Adolescent / Adult / Female / Humans / Pregnancy Country/Region as subject: Africa Language: En Journal: Medicine (Baltimore) Year: 2015 Document type: Article