Paediatricians as champions for ending folic acid-preventable spina bifida, anencephaly globally

• Authors: Timothy G Singer, George Washington University School of Public Health and Health Services, Washington; Vijaya Kancherla, Emory University; Godfrey Oakley, Emory University
• Journal Title: BMJ Paediatrics Open
• Volume: Volume 6, Number 1
• Publisher: BMJ Publishing Group | 2022-12-23
• Type of Work: Article | Final Publisher PDF
• Publisher DOI: http://doi.org/10.1136/bmjpo-2022-001745
• Subjects: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Epidemiology
• Keywords: Paediatricians

Abstract

Paediatricians have a long history of championing highly effective public health programmes that have improved the lives of children around the world. Now, paediatricians have another unprecedented opportunity to champion primary prevention of spina bifida and anencephaly (SBA) globally. Thirty years ago, the British Medical Research Council’s landmark randomised control trial established that adequate intake of folic acid consumption by mothers before and during early pregnancy is the most effective public health strategy for preventing the majority of SBA cases, known as SBA-F (F indicates folic acid-preventable SBA).1 As of 2020, 58 countries have mandatory policies for staple food fortification with folic acid, due to which about 22% of global cases of preventable SBA-F are prevented.2 While mandatory fortification benefits these 58 countries, over 100 other countries, many in Europe, Asia and Africa lag behind in SBA-F prevention by not investing in this proven public health intervention.