THE PREVENTIVE EFFICACY OF THE PERICONCEPTIONAL USE OF FOLIC A

Key words: Folic acid, Neural tube defects, Prevention

The preventive efficacy of the periconceptional use of folic acid is well established for neural tube defects. Similar but lower protective effects have been suggested for other congenital malformations such as orofacial clefts and some heart defects. This support the recommendation that all women planning or at risk of pregnancy take a daily multivitamin supplement containing folic acid, beginning one month before conception and continuing through the first trimester for prevention of neural tube defects and other congenital malformations. Despite this consistent evidence, in Italy no folate strategy of supplementation before conception or food fortification has been developed. Recently an intervention project started also in Italy, in order to evaluate the efficacy of a national preventive campaign on parents’ behaviour.