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Nutrition During Pregnancy Part I: Weight Gain, Part II: Nutrient Supplements (1990) / Chapter Skim
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21 Periconceptional Vitamin Supplementation and Neural Tube Defects
Pages 412-420

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From page 412...
... NEURAL TUBE DEFECTS Neural tube defects such as spine bifida have been linked by several investigators to periconceptional nutrient intake. The seriousness and the frequency with which neural tube defects occur warrant careful consideration of evidence from studies that address nutrition-related approaches for reducing their incidence.
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From page 413...
... ~ reduce the risk of neural tube defects, periconceptional vitamin supplementation has been recommended, especially for all women who have had a previous pregnancy complicated by a neural tube defect (International Conference on Prepregnancy Nutrition, 1987) but also for all pregnant women (Holmes, 1988; International Conference on Prepregnancy Nutrition, 1987~.
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From page 414...
... These observations suggest that a change in maternal folate metabolism may be associated with neural tube defect pregnancies, but they do not necessarily suggest that a low intake of folate was involved. Epidemiologic Observations Epidemiologic observations indicate that poor maternal nutrition could be important in the etiology of neural tube defects (Laurence et al., 1980~.
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From page 415...
... Case-Control and Cohort Studies of Periconceptional Multivitamin Use The results of three case-control studies and one cohort study of multivitamin or folate supplements or dietary folate intake in relation to the occurrence of neural tube defects were reported in 1988 and 1989. In one of these studies (Mulinare et al., 1988)
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From page 416...
... Among women not taking folate supplements, the prevalence of neural tube defects was lower among those with dietary folate intakes exceeding 100 Friday than among those with lower intakes. (The estimated mean daily folate intake of women aged 19 to 44 in the United States is approximately 220 fig iSubar et al., 1989; USDA, 19853~.
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From page 417...
... Well-designed randomized, prospective studies of periconceptional vitamin supplementation are needed to examine the putative protection against neural tube defects. I\vo major studies are in progress-one organized by the Medical Research Council in the United Kingdom and the other in Hungary.
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From page 418...
... 1980. Increased risk of recurrence of pregnancies complicated by fetal neural tube defects in mothers receiving poor diets, and possible benefit of dieta~y counselling.
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From page 419...
... 1985. Maternal serum folate and vitamin B12 concentrations in pregnancies associated with neural tube defects.
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Key Terms

  • tube defects
  • tube defect
  • vitamin supplementation
  • periconceptional period
  • periconceptional vitamin

  • animal models
  • dietary folate
  • defect pregnancies
  • folate metabolism
  • dietary intake

  • folate intake
  • cell folate
  • maternal serum
  • red cell
  • folate supplements

  • protective effect
  • dietary guidelines
  • folate deficiency
  • observations indicate
  • maternal folate

  • human neural
  • previous neural
  • laboratory assays
  • multivitamin preparation
  • maternal zinc

  • occurrence rate
  • serum folate
  • supplementation studies
  • zinc deficiency
  • folate levels


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