Prevalence of neural tube defects in Australia prior to mandatory fortification of bread-making flour with folic acid

Abeywardana, S; Bower, C; Halliday, J; Chan, A; Sullivan, EA

Prevalence of neural tube defects in Australia prior to mandatory fortification of bread-making flour with folic acid

Abeywardana, S Bower, C Halliday, J Chan, A Sullivan, EA

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Publication Type:: Journal Article
Citation:: Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2010, 34 (4), pp. 351 - 355
Issue Date:: 2010-08-01

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Field	Value	Language
dc.contributor.author	Abeywardana, S	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Bower, C	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Halliday, J	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Chan, A	en_US
dc.contributor.author	Sullivan, EA https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8718-2753	en_US
dc.date.issued	2010-08-01	en_US
dc.identifier.citation	Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health, 2010, 34 (4), pp. 351 - 355	en_US
dc.identifier.issn	1326-0200	en_US
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10453/28505
dc.description.abstract	Objective: To establish baseline prevalence of neural tube defects (NTD5) prior to mandatory folic acid fortification in Australia. Method: Retrospective population based study. Data from the Australian Congenital Anomalies Monitoring System, for 1998-2005 were used to calculate birth prevalence including live/stillbirths of at least 20 weeks gestation or 400 g birthweight. Total prevalence and trends of NTD including terminations of pregnancy (TOPs) before 20 weeks were established using data from South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia because of the incomplete ascertainment in other states. Results:The birth prevalence of NTDs from 1998-2005, was 5/10,000 births. The total prevalence including TOPs was 13/10,000 births. A 26% declining trend in total prevalence was seen from 1992- 2005, but the main decline occurred prior to 1998. Women who were Indigenous, socially disadvantaged, young, living in remote areas and had multiple gestations were more likely to give birth to babies with NTDs. Conclusion: The prevalence of NTD has been stable since 1998. Reporting of the birth prevalence alone underestimates the actual prevalence of NTD. Implications: From a public health perspective, future monitoring of NTD following implementation of fortification of bread-making flour with folic acid should include a mixed methods approach; reporting birth prevalence on national data and total prevalence on tn-state data. © 2010 Public Health Association of Australia.	en_US
dc.relation.ispartof	Australian and New Zealand Journal of Public Health	en_US
dc.relation.isbasedon	10.1111/j.1753-6405.2010.00565.x	en_US
dc.subject.classification	Public Health	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Humans	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Neural Tube Defects	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Folic Acid	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy Outcome	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Abortion, Induced	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Population Surveillance	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Prevalence	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Risk Factors	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Retrospective Studies	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Age Distribution	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Gestational Age	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Pregnancy	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Flour	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Food, Fortified	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Adult	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Infant	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	South Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Victoria	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Western Australia	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Female	en_US
dc.subject.mesh	Young Adult	en_US
dc.title	Prevalence of neural tube defects in Australia prior to mandatory fortification of bread-making flour with folic acid	en_US
dc.type	Journal Article
utslib.citation.volume	4	en_US
utslib.citation.volume	34	en_US
utslib.for	1117 Public Health and Health Services	en_US
utslib.for	1402 Applied Economics	en_US
utslib.for	1605 Policy and Administration	en_US
pubs.embargo.period	Not known	en_US
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health
pubs.organisational-group	/University of Technology Sydney/Faculty of Health/Public Health
utslib.copyright.status	closed_access
pubs.issue	4	en_US
pubs.publication-status	Published	en_US
pubs.volume	34	en_US

Abstract:

Objective: To establish baseline prevalence of neural tube defects (NTD5) prior to mandatory folic acid fortification in Australia. Method: Retrospective population based study. Data from the Australian Congenital Anomalies Monitoring System, for 1998-2005 were used to calculate birth prevalence including live/stillbirths of at least 20 weeks gestation or 400 g birthweight. Total prevalence and trends of NTD including terminations of pregnancy (TOPs) before 20 weeks were established using data from South Australia, Victoria and Western Australia because of the incomplete ascertainment in other states. Results:The birth prevalence of NTDs from 1998-2005, was 5/10,000 births. The total prevalence including TOPs was 13/10,000 births. A 26% declining trend in total prevalence was seen from 1992- 2005, but the main decline occurred prior to 1998. Women who were Indigenous, socially disadvantaged, young, living in remote areas and had multiple gestations were more likely to give birth to babies with NTDs. Conclusion: The prevalence of NTD has been stable since 1998. Reporting of the birth prevalence alone underestimates the actual prevalence of NTD. Implications: From a public health perspective, future monitoring of NTD following implementation of fortification of bread-making flour with folic acid should include a mixed methods approach; reporting birth prevalence on national data and total prevalence on tn-state data. © 2010 Public Health Association of Australia.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10453/28505