title: [Folic acid supplementation as prophylaxis of neural tube defect in the Lower Silesia region: fact or fiction?].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To assess the efficacy of nationwide programme of prophylaxis of neural tube defects in the Lower Silesia region.
  
  
  METHODS
  A questionnaire study was conducted among all mothers of infants admitted between 2001 and 2010 to the Department of Pediatric Surgery and Urology in Wroclaw Medical Academy. The data regarding pregnancy and delivery, newborn's medical condition, family history, parental health, profession and education, and finally folic acid supplementation by mothers were analysed.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Among 1278 newborn infants, in 148 children (11.6%) central nervous system (CNS) defects were diagnosed. Among 894 mothers (69.9%) who took part in the study, 159 of them (17.8%) confirmed taking folic acid before becoming pregnant. The rate of supplementation with folic acid showed a rising trend in the study period and increased from 7.1% in 2001 to 35.8% in 2010. Folic acid was taken more frequently by the women living in urban areas (24.2%) than by those living in rural regions (9.2%). With regard to the educational level, the highest rate of supplementation with folic acid was noted among the women with high education (37.8%). Forty-eight percent of mothers were informed about prevention of neural tube defects by their physician, while in 32% of them the family or media were the source of information. Mothers of 255 infants confirmed that they knew about prevention of congenital defects by vitamin intake, but they had not taken folic acid before pregnancy.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  1. Realization of the programme of prevention of neural tube defects in Lower Silesia region is highly unsatisfactory. 2. The actions undertaken on the national and local level and aimed to popularize the knowledge about prevention of CNS defects among women are assessed to be ineffective in the Lower Silesia region and need urgent verification.
authors.affiliation: Klinika Chirurgii i Urologii Dziecięcej AM we Wrocławiu, ul. M. Skłodowskiej 52, 50-367 Wrocław. baglaj@chdz.am.wroc.pl
authors.forename: Maciej
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bagłaj
authors.forename: Anna
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Wojtyłko
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011159:Population Surveillance; D011247:Pregnancy; D011295:Prenatal Care / Q000379:methods; D011322:Primary Prevention / Q000379:methods / Q000458:organization & administration*; D015397:Program Evaluation; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid