Birth Defects

Number of neural tube birth defects halved in Utah

Published in Medical Letter on the CDC and FDA, March 6th, 2005

Neural tube defects - birth defects affecting the brain and spine - have declined by more than 50% in Utah since 1992, according to a recent study by the Utah Department of Health's (UDOH) Birth Defect Network (UBDN).

The UDOH and a University of Utah professor attribute the decline to more women taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy, ongoing public education programs, and the addition of folic acid to food products.

In 1992, nearly 12 of every 10,000 Utah babies were born with a neural tube defect (NTD). The rate dropped to 5.2 in 2003, meaning about 30-35 babies are healthy who otherwise may have been born with a serious NTD such as...

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Source: Medical Letter on the CDC and FDA (2005-03-06)

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