Ultrasound screening for fetal spina bifida: Bernard et al

Abstract

340 American Journal of Obstetrics & Gynecology Twenty years ago, the US Public Health Service recommended that women of childbearing age ingest 400 mcg of folic acid daily to help prevent neural tube defects in their babies. To further ensure sufficient intake, the government mandated supplementation of enriched cereal grain products by January 1998. This simple measure is associated with a 31% drop in the prevalence of spina bifida and generally, an estimated 1000 fewer cases of neural tube defect per year. Still, about 1500 babies are born with spina bifida yearly in the United States. A new study suggests that basic measurements can predict diagnosis earlier in about half of affected pregnancies.