title: Neural tube defects: a study in Puerto Rico.
abstract: Recent literature reports an apparent decline in the incidence of neural tube defects throughout the world. A revision of stillbirth certificates and surgical reports of closure procedures for open neural tube defects was done in order to establish the incidence and its trend during a nine year period in Puerto Rico. The current prevalence of the syndrome was estimated using the death certificates in addition to the fore-mentioned surgical reports. Our results indicate that Puerto Rico carries probably the highest incidence of the US territories and that the trend is not declining one.
authors.affiliation: Section of Orthopaedics, University of Puerto Rico School of Medicine.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colón
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Fernández
authors.forename: R M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Fernández
mesh_terms: D015331:Cohort Studies; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D005260:Female; D005313:Fetal Death / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000453:epidemiology*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011647:Puerto Rico / Q000453:epidemiology