Letter to the Editor

Pre-conceptional Folic Acid Supplementation in Uninsured Pregnant Hispanic Women

Authors: Daniel T. Leung, MD, MSc, Joseph M. Ernest, MD

Abstract

To the Editor:


Neural tube defects (NTDs) are among the most commonly occurring preventable birth defects. Preconceptional consumption of synthetic folic acid, in addition to the usual diet, will prevent 60 to 70% of NTDs.1 Hispanic infants are 1.5 to 3 times more likely to be born with a NTD.2 Studies have demonstrated that Hispanic women were significantly less likely to be both aware of folic acid’s role in preventing birth defects or taking folic acid supplementation.3 These studies did not address the income status of the population studied. The objective of this study was to determine the knowledge and practices of pre- and postconceptional folic acid supplementation in a sample of pregnant and uninsured Hispanic women in North Carolina.

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References

1. Werler MM, Shapiro S, Mitchell AA. Periconceptional folic acid exposure and risk of occurrent neural tube defects. JAMA 1993;269:1257–1261.
 
2. Hendricks KA, Simpson JS, Larsen RD. Neural tube defects along the Texas-Mexico border, 1993–1995. Am J Epidemiol 1999;149:1119–1127.
 
3. Canfield MA, Anderson JL, Waller DK, et al. Folic acid awareness and use among women with a history of a neural tube defect pregnancy– Texas, 2000–2001. MMWR Recomm Rep 2002;51:16–19.
 
4. Rosenberg KD, Gelow JM, Sandoval AP. Pregnancy intendedness and the use of periconceptional folic acid. Pediatrics 2003;111:1142–1145.