title: Folate deficiency and folic acid supplementation: the prevention of neural-tube defects and congenital heart defects.
abstract: Diet, particularly vitamin deficiency, is associated with the risk of birth defects. The aim of this review paper is to show the characteristics of common and severe neural-tube defects together with congenital heart defects (CHD) as vitamin deficiencies play a role in their origin. The findings of the Hungarian intervention (randomized double-blind and cohort controlled) trials indicated that periconceptional folic acid (FA)-containing multivitamin supplementation prevented the major proportion (about 90%) of neural-tube defects (NTD) as well as a certain proportion (about 40%) of congenital heart defects. Finally the benefits and drawbacks of three main practical applications of folic acid/multivitamin treatment such as (i) dietary intake; (ii) periconceptional supplementation; and (iii) flour fortification are discussed. The conclusion arrived at is indeed confirmation of Benjamin Franklin's statement: "An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of care".
authors.affiliation: Foundation for the Community Control of Hereditary Diseases, Torokvesz lejto 32, Budapest 1026, Hungary. czeizel@interware.hu.
authors.forename: Andrew E
authors.initials: AE
authors.lastname: Czeizel
authors.forename: Istvan
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dudás
authors.forename: Attila
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vereczkey
authors.forename: Ferenc
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Bánhidy
mesh_terms: D004032:Diet; D019587:Dietary Supplements; D005433:Flour; D005492:Folic Acid / Q000097:blood / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005494:Folic Acid Deficiency / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications / Q000188:drug therapy*; D005527:Food, Fortified; D006330:Heart Defects, Congenital / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D006801:Humans; D009436:Neural Tube Defects / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*
chemical_list: D005492:Folic Acid