Journal article
Trends in the postfortification prevalence of spina bifida and anencephaly in the United States
Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology, Vol.66(6), pp.527-532
07/2008
DOI: 10.1002/bdra.20468
PMID: 18481813
Abstract
BACKGROUND: The prevalence of NTDs in the US declined significantly after mandatory folic acid fortification; however, it is not known if the prevalence of NTDs has continued to decrease in recent years relative to the period immediately following the fortification mandate. METHODS: Population-based data from 21 birth defects surveillance systems were used to examine trends in the birth prevalence of spina bifida and anencephaly during 1999–2000, 2001–2002, and 2003–2004. Prevalence data were stratified by non-Hispanic White, non-Hispanic Black, and Hispanic race or ethnicity. Prevalence ratios were calculated by dividing the birth prevalences during the later time periods (2001–2002 and 2003–2004) by the birth prevalences during 1999–2000. RESULTS: During 1999–2004, 3,311 cases of spina bifida and 2,116 cases of anencephaly were reported. Hispanic infants had the highest prevalences of NTDs for all years. For all infants, the combined birth prevalences of spina bifida and anencephaly decreased 10% from the 1999–2000 period to the 2003–2004 period. The decline in spina bifida (3%) was not significant; however the decline in anencephaly (20%) was statistically significant. CONCLUSIONS: While the prevalences of spina bifida and anencephaly in the United States have declined since folic acid fortification in the food supply began, these data suggest that reductions in the prevalence of anencephaly continued during 2001–2004 and that racial and ethnic and other disparities remain.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- Trends in the postfortification prevalence of spina bifida and anencephaly in the United States
- Creators
- Sheree L Boulet - National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC, Atlanta, GeorgiaQuanhe Yang - National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC, Atlanta, GeorgiaCara Mai - National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC, Atlanta, GeorgiaRussell S Kirby - Department of Maternal and Child Health, School of Public Health, University of Alabama at Birmingham, Birmingham, AlabamaJulianne S Collins - JC Self Research Institute of Human Genetics, Greenwood Genetic Center, Greenwood, South CarolinaJames M Robbins - Department of Pediatrics, University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences, Little Rock, ArkansasRobert Meyer - North Carolina Center for Health Statistics, Raleigh, North CarolinaMark A Canfield - Birth Defects Epidemiology and Surveillance Branch, Texas Department of State Health Services, Austin, TexasJoe Mulinare - National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities, CDC, Atlanta, GeorgiaNational Birth Defects Prevention Network
- Contributors
- Paul A Romitti (Contributor) - University of Iowa, Epidemiology
- Resource Type
- Journal article
- Publication Details
- Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology, Vol.66(6), pp.527-532
- DOI
- 10.1002/bdra.20468
- PMID
- 18481813
- NLM abbreviation
- Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol
- ISSN
- 1542-0752
- eISSN
- 1096-9926
- Publisher
- Wiley Subscription Services, Inc., A Wiley Company
- Number of pages
- 6
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 07/2008
- Academic Unit
- Epidemiology; Biostatistics
- Record Identifier
- 9984214959402771
Metrics
22 Record Views