Epidemiology of neural tube defects in Finland: a nationwide register study 1987-2018.
NTDs
Neural tube defect
epidemiology
mortality
prevalence
spina bifida
Journal
International journal of epidemiology
ISSN: 1464-3685
Titre abrégé: Int J Epidemiol
Pays: England
ID NLM: 7802871
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
12 Jun 2024
12 Jun 2024
Historique:
received:
26
09
2023
accepted:
07
07
2024
medline:
10
7
2024
pubmed:
9
7
2024
entrez:
9
7
2024
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence, mortality, regional and sex distribution of neural tube defects (NTDs) in Finland. Data for this population-based study were collected from 1987 to 2018 from the national health and social welfare registers. There were in total 1634 cases of NTDs, of which 511 were live births, 72 pregnancies ended in stillbirth and 1051 were terminations of pregnancy due to fetal anomaly (TOPFA). The total prevalence of NTDs was 8.6 per 10 000 births and it increased slightly annually (OR 1.008; 95% CI: 1.002, 1.013) during the 32-year study period. The birth prevalence of NTDs decreased (OR 0.979; 95% CI: 0.970, 0.987), but the prevalence of TOPFA increased annually (OR 1.024; 95% CI 1.017, 1.031). The perinatal mortality of NTD children was 260.7 per 1000 births and the infant mortality was 184.0 per 1000 live births, whereas these measures in the general population were 4.6 per 1000 births and 3.3 per 1000 live births, respectively. There was no difference in the NTD prevalence between males and females (P-value 0.77). The total prevalence of NTDs varied from 7.1 to 9.4 per 10 000 births in Finland by region. Although the majority of NTDs are preventable with an adequate folic acid supplementation, the total prevalence increased in Finland during the study period when folic acid supplementation was mainly recommended to high-risk families and to women with folic acid deficiency. NTDs remain an important cause of infant morbidity and mortality in Finland.
Sections du résumé
BACKGROUND
BACKGROUND
Our aim was to evaluate the prevalence, mortality, regional and sex distribution of neural tube defects (NTDs) in Finland.
METHODS
METHODS
Data for this population-based study were collected from 1987 to 2018 from the national health and social welfare registers.
RESULTS
RESULTS
There were in total 1634 cases of NTDs, of which 511 were live births, 72 pregnancies ended in stillbirth and 1051 were terminations of pregnancy due to fetal anomaly (TOPFA). The total prevalence of NTDs was 8.6 per 10 000 births and it increased slightly annually (OR 1.008; 95% CI: 1.002, 1.013) during the 32-year study period. The birth prevalence of NTDs decreased (OR 0.979; 95% CI: 0.970, 0.987), but the prevalence of TOPFA increased annually (OR 1.024; 95% CI 1.017, 1.031). The perinatal mortality of NTD children was 260.7 per 1000 births and the infant mortality was 184.0 per 1000 live births, whereas these measures in the general population were 4.6 per 1000 births and 3.3 per 1000 live births, respectively. There was no difference in the NTD prevalence between males and females (P-value 0.77). The total prevalence of NTDs varied from 7.1 to 9.4 per 10 000 births in Finland by region.
CONCLUSIONS
CONCLUSIONS
Although the majority of NTDs are preventable with an adequate folic acid supplementation, the total prevalence increased in Finland during the study period when folic acid supplementation was mainly recommended to high-risk families and to women with folic acid deficiency. NTDs remain an important cause of infant morbidity and mortality in Finland.
Identifiants
pubmed: 38981140
pii: 7710047
doi: 10.1093/ije/dyae092
pii:
doi:
Types de publication
Journal Article
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Informations de copyright
© The Author(s) 2024; all rights reserved. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the International Epidemiological Association.