García-Morales M A, Limón-Luque L M, Barrón-Vallejo J, González-Morales M E, Kably-Ambe A
Departamento de Ginecología y Obstetricia. Hospital American British Cowdray (ABC).
Ginecol Obstet Mex. 1996 Sep;64:418-21.
The incidence of neural tube defects (NTDs) is about 1.3 cases per 1000 live births. The higher incidence of NTDs occurs among certain ethnic groups, and geographic areas. The fetal morbimortality is high and the treatment for those babies who live is expensive with pour quality of live. It is unclear what biochemical mechanism involving folate explain the relationship of this vitamin to the pathogenesis of NTDs. However elevated concentrations of homocysteine or decreased methionine concentrations could be interfere with closure of the neural tube. The pharmacologic periconceptional intake of 0.4-4.0 mg/day of folic acid reduces the risk of occurrent NTDs by approximately 40-75%. A relatively high dietary intake of folate may also reduce the risk.
神经管缺陷（NTDs）的发病率约为每1000例活产中有1.3例。NTDs在某些种族群体和地理区域中的发病率较高。胎儿的病残率和死亡率很高，对于存活下来的婴儿，治疗费用高昂且生活质量较差。尚不清楚涉及叶酸的何种生化机制解释了这种维生素与NTDs发病机制之间的关系。然而，高半胱氨酸浓度升高或蛋氨酸浓度降低可能会干扰神经管的闭合。孕前每天摄入0.4 - 4.0毫克叶酸可使发生NTDs的风险降低约40 - 75%。相对较高的膳食叶酸摄入量也可能降低风险。
