title: Folate intake and the primary prevention of non-neural birth defects.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether maternal periconceptional folate intake is associated with a reduction in selected non-neural birth defects in Western Australia (WA).
  
  
  METHODS
  Case-control study of folate intake in women whose infants had orofacial clefts (62); congenital heart defects (151); urinary tract defects (117); limb reduction defects (26); or other major birth defects (119); and 578 control women.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Neither folic acid supplements nor dietary folate intake in women not using supplements was significantly associated with a reduction in risk in any of the case groups. In contrast to neural tube defects, WA population data for orofacial clefts, heart defects, limb reduction defects and urinary tract defects showed no fall in prevalence since the introduction of folate promotion and voluntary food fortification.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This study provides no evidence of folate being an important factor in the prevention of birth defects other than neural tube defects.
authors.affiliation: Telethon Institute for Child Health Research, Centre for Child Health Research, University of Western Australia, West Perth. carolb@ichr.uwa.edu.au
authors.forename: Carol
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Bower
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Jan
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Payne
authors.forename: Peta
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Serna
mesh_terms: D016022:Case-Control Studies; D016001:Confidence Intervals; D000013:Congenital Abnormalities / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D006801:Humans; D017880:Limb Deformities, Congenital / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D008431:Maternal-Fetal Exchange; D009056:Mouth Abnormalities / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000178:diet therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control; D016017:Odds Ratio; D016742:Preconception Care / Q000379:methods; D011247:Pregnancy; D011261:Pregnancy Trimester, First; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods*; D014551:Urinary Tract / Q000002:abnormalities; D014904:Western Australia / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid