TY - JOUR
T1 - Use of folic acid supplements and risk of cleft lip and palate in infants
T2 - A population-based cohort study
AU - Kelly, Dervla
AU - O'Dowd, Tom
AU - Reulbach, Udo
PY - 2012/7
Y1 - 2012/7
N2 - Background: Orofacial clefts occur when the lips or the roof of the mouth do not fuse properly during the early weeks of pregnancy. There is strong evidence that periconceptional use of folic acid can prevent neural tube defects but its effect on oral clefts has generated debate. Aim: To identify factors associated with suboptimal periconceptional use of folic acid and its potential effect on oral clefts. Design and setting: The population-based infant cohort of the national Growing Up in Ireland study, which consists of 11 134 9-month-old infants. Method: Data collection comprised questionnaires conducted by interviewers with parents in parents' homes. Characteristics of mothers who did or did not take folic acid before and during pregnancy, as well as the effect of folic acid use on the prevalence of cleft lip and palate were recorded. Results: The prevalence of cleft lip and palate was 1.98 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31 to 2.99) per 1000 9-month-olds. The odds ratio for cleft lip was 4.36-fold higher (95% CI = 1.55 to 12.30, P = 0.005) for infants of mothers who did not take folic acid during the first 3 months of pregnancy, when compared with those who did have a folate intake during the first trimester. Folic acid use was suboptimal in 36.3% (95% CI = 35.4 to 37.2) of the sample. Conclusion: These findings support the hypothesis that taking folic acid may partially prevent cleft lip and palate. They are particularly relevant for GPs, because they are usually the first port of call for women before and during early pregnancy.
AB - Background: Orofacial clefts occur when the lips or the roof of the mouth do not fuse properly during the early weeks of pregnancy. There is strong evidence that periconceptional use of folic acid can prevent neural tube defects but its effect on oral clefts has generated debate. Aim: To identify factors associated with suboptimal periconceptional use of folic acid and its potential effect on oral clefts. Design and setting: The population-based infant cohort of the national Growing Up in Ireland study, which consists of 11 134 9-month-old infants. Method: Data collection comprised questionnaires conducted by interviewers with parents in parents' homes. Characteristics of mothers who did or did not take folic acid before and during pregnancy, as well as the effect of folic acid use on the prevalence of cleft lip and palate were recorded. Results: The prevalence of cleft lip and palate was 1.98 (95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.31 to 2.99) per 1000 9-month-olds. The odds ratio for cleft lip was 4.36-fold higher (95% CI = 1.55 to 12.30, P = 0.005) for infants of mothers who did not take folic acid during the first 3 months of pregnancy, when compared with those who did have a folate intake during the first trimester. Folic acid use was suboptimal in 36.3% (95% CI = 35.4 to 37.2) of the sample. Conclusion: These findings support the hypothesis that taking folic acid may partially prevent cleft lip and palate. They are particularly relevant for GPs, because they are usually the first port of call for women before and during early pregnancy.
KW - Cleft lip
KW - Epidemiology
KW - Folic acid
KW - General practice
KW - Infant
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=84864983749&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.3399/bjgp12X652328
DO - 10.3399/bjgp12X652328
M3 - Article
C2 - 22781994
AN - SCOPUS:84864983749
SN - 0960-1643
VL - 62
SP - e466-e472
JO - British Journal of General Practice
JF - British Journal of General Practice
IS - 600
ER -