title: Adding folate to the contraceptive pill: a new concept for the prevention of neural tube defects.
abstract: Although it is proven for a long time that folic acid supplementation in the periconceptional period can prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) effectively, all measures taken so far including food fortification and awareness campaigns so far had only limited success. Since more than 50% of the pregnant women in Europe get pregnant after they have used oral contraceptives (OCs) before, OCs are an ideal vehicle to increase not only the awareness for periconceptional folate application, but they can also help to bridge the gap between the recognition of a pregnancy and closure of the neural tube which is before day 26. In order to reach a truly protective folate level at the critical time period during pregnancy, now OCs are available which contain metafolin. The availability of this innovative type of OC will significantly reduce the number of NTDs.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Advanced Research, Berlin, Germany. wolfgang@holzgreve.net
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Holzgreve
authors.forename: Klaus
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Pietrzik
authors.forename: Berthold
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Koletzko
authors.forename: Christel
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Eckmann-Scholz
mesh_terms: D000284:Administration, Oral; D003210:Concept Formation; D003270:Contraceptive Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004338:Drug Combinations; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011247:Pregnancy; D013607:Tablets
chemical_list: D003270:Contraceptive Agents; D004338:Drug Combinations; D013607:Tablets; D005492:Folic Acid