Mukesh mohite

Next to cardiac abnormalities, neural tube defects are the second most common major congenital disorders. Spina bifida, a type of NTD, is the most common cause of congenital ambulatory disability.

Awareness about the importance of preventing NTD through sufficient folic acid intake during the periconception period has grown over the past 15 years.

Fortunately, the number of infants born with a NTD has declined. In 1997, 7.5 per 10,000 births in Canada were affected by a NTD (approximately 260 births/year), compared to 11.6 per 10,000 births in 1989. This decrease may be explained by an increase in folic acid supplementation and an improvement in prenatal diagnosis of NTDs, with possible pregnancy termination. Some studies also indicate that perinatal folic acid supplementation decreases the occurrence of defects of the heart, urinary tract, limbs, and possibly orofacial clefts.