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Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes
03:19

Modifying Levels of Maternal Dietary Folic Acid or Choline to Study the Impact of Deficiencies on Offspring Health Outcomes

Published on: June 28, 2024

Folic acid and primary prevention of birth defects

Domenica Taruscio1, Pietro Carbone, Orietta Granata

  • 1National Centre for Rare Diseases, Istituto Superiore di Sanità, Rome, Italy. domenica.taruscio@iss.it

Biofactors (Oxford, England)
|September 15, 2011
PubMed

Insights

Folic acid (FA) supplementation effectively prevents neural tube defects (NTDs), a major birth defect. While FA is crucial for preventing NTDs, ongoing research addresses potential risks of high intake and informs public health strategies.

Area of Science:

  • Public Health
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology
  • Nutritional Science

Background:

  • Birth defects (BDs) affect 2-3% of live births in the European Union, posing a significant public health challenge.
  • Neural tube defects (NTDs) are severe, relatively common, yet preventable BDs.
  • Adequate folic acid (FA) intake is proven to reduce NTD occurrence and recurrence.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To summarize the current evidence on folic acid (FA) for the primary prevention of birth defects (BDs), particularly neural tube defects (NTDs).
  • To highlight the strategy of the Italian Network for Primary Prevention of BDs through FA Promotion.
  • To address ongoing research and safety considerations regarding FA intake.

Main Methods:

  • Review of scientific literature on folic acid (FA) and neural tube defect (NTD) prevention.
  • Analysis of public health initiatives and surveillance data (e.g., EUROCAT).
  • Consideration of recommendations from regulatory bodies like the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

Main Results:

  • The Italian Network has improved FA awareness and periconceptional use.
  • The health benefits of FA in reducing NTDs are undisputed.
  • Concerns remain regarding potential cancer promotion with high FA intake, requiring further research; current adult intake from supplements/fortified foods should not exceed 1 mg/day.

Conclusions:

  • The Italian Network's strategy combines periconceptional FA supplementation with healthy eating promotion and education.
  • Enhancing women's role in health choices and increasing scientific knowledge are key to advancing BDs primary prevention.
  • Further research is needed to fully understand FA safety at higher intake levels and to optimize prevention strategies.

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