Knowledge and periconceptional use of folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects in ethnic communities in the United Kingdom: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

Jordana N. Peake; Andrew J. Copp; Jill Shawe

doi:10.1002/bdra.23154

Knowledge and periconceptional use of folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects in ethnic communities in the United Kingdom: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

Jordana N. Peake^*, Andrew J. Copp, Jill Shawe

^*Corresponding author for this work

School of Nursing and Midwifery

University College London

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

BACKGROUNDIt is widely accepted that periconceptional supplementation with folic acid can prevent a significant proportion of neural tube defects (NTDs). The present study evaluated how folic acid knowledge and periconceptional use for NTD prevention varies by ethnicity in the United Kingdom (U.K.).METHODSA literature search was conducted to identify studies that included assessment of folic acid knowledge or use in U.K. women of different ethnicities. Only research and referenced sources published after 1991, the year of the landmark Medical Research Council's Vitamin Study, were included. A meta‐analysis was performed of studies that assessed preconceptional folic acid use in Caucasians and non‐Caucasians.RESULTSFive studies met the inclusion criteria for assessment of knowledge and/or use of folic acid supplements in U.K. women including non‐Caucasians. The available evidence indicates that South Asians specifically have less knowledge and lower periconceptional use of folic acid than Caucasians; one study found that West Indian and African women also had lower folic acid uptake. A synthesis of results from three of the studies, in a meta‐analysis, shows that Caucasians are almost three times more likely to take folic acid before conception than non‐Caucasians.CONCLUSIONFrom the limited evidence available, U.K. women of non‐Caucasian ethnicity appear to have less knowledge and a lower uptake of folic acid supplementation than Caucasians during the periconceptional period. Implementing targeted, innovative education campaigns together with a mandatory fortification policy, including the fortification of ethnic minority foods, will be required for maximum prevention of folic acid–preventable NTDs across different ethnic groups. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:444–451, 2013. © 2014 The Authors Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	444-451
Number of pages	0
Journal	Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology
Volume	97
Issue number	7
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1002/bdra.23154
Publication status	Published - Jul 2013

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title = "Knowledge and periconceptional use of folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects in ethnic communities in the United Kingdom: Systematic review and meta‐analysis",

abstract = "BACKGROUNDIt is widely accepted that periconceptional supplementation with folic acid can prevent a significant proportion of neural tube defects (NTDs). The present study evaluated how folic acid knowledge and periconceptional use for NTD prevention varies by ethnicity in the United Kingdom (U.K.).METHODSA literature search was conducted to identify studies that included assessment of folic acid knowledge or use in U.K. women of different ethnicities. Only research and referenced sources published after 1991, the year of the landmark Medical Research Council's Vitamin Study, were included. A meta‐analysis was performed of studies that assessed preconceptional folic acid use in Caucasians and non‐Caucasians.RESULTSFive studies met the inclusion criteria for assessment of knowledge and/or use of folic acid supplements in U.K. women including non‐Caucasians. The available evidence indicates that South Asians specifically have less knowledge and lower periconceptional use of folic acid than Caucasians; one study found that West Indian and African women also had lower folic acid uptake. A synthesis of results from three of the studies, in a meta‐analysis, shows that Caucasians are almost three times more likely to take folic acid before conception than non‐Caucasians.CONCLUSIONFrom the limited evidence available, U.K. women of non‐Caucasian ethnicity appear to have less knowledge and a lower uptake of folic acid supplementation than Caucasians during the periconceptional period. Implementing targeted, innovative education campaigns together with a mandatory fortification policy, including the fortification of ethnic minority foods, will be required for maximum prevention of folic acid–preventable NTDs across different ethnic groups. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:444–451, 2013. {\textcopyright} 2014 The Authors Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.",

author = "Peake, {Jordana N.} and Copp, {Andrew J.} and Jill Shawe",

year = "2013",

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doi = "10.1002/bdra.23154",

language = "English",

volume = "97",

pages = "444--451",

journal = "Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology",

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Knowledge and periconceptional use of folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects in ethnic communities in the United Kingdom: Systematic review and meta‐analysis. / Peake, Jordana N.; Copp, Andrew J.; Shawe, Jill.
In: Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology, Vol. 97, No. 7, 07.2013, p. 444-451.

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

TY - JOUR

T1 - Knowledge and periconceptional use of folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects in ethnic communities in the United Kingdom: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

AU - Peake, Jordana N.

AU - Copp, Andrew J.

AU - Shawe, Jill

PY - 2013/7

Y1 - 2013/7

N2 - BACKGROUNDIt is widely accepted that periconceptional supplementation with folic acid can prevent a significant proportion of neural tube defects (NTDs). The present study evaluated how folic acid knowledge and periconceptional use for NTD prevention varies by ethnicity in the United Kingdom (U.K.).METHODSA literature search was conducted to identify studies that included assessment of folic acid knowledge or use in U.K. women of different ethnicities. Only research and referenced sources published after 1991, the year of the landmark Medical Research Council's Vitamin Study, were included. A meta‐analysis was performed of studies that assessed preconceptional folic acid use in Caucasians and non‐Caucasians.RESULTSFive studies met the inclusion criteria for assessment of knowledge and/or use of folic acid supplements in U.K. women including non‐Caucasians. The available evidence indicates that South Asians specifically have less knowledge and lower periconceptional use of folic acid than Caucasians; one study found that West Indian and African women also had lower folic acid uptake. A synthesis of results from three of the studies, in a meta‐analysis, shows that Caucasians are almost three times more likely to take folic acid before conception than non‐Caucasians.CONCLUSIONFrom the limited evidence available, U.K. women of non‐Caucasian ethnicity appear to have less knowledge and a lower uptake of folic acid supplementation than Caucasians during the periconceptional period. Implementing targeted, innovative education campaigns together with a mandatory fortification policy, including the fortification of ethnic minority foods, will be required for maximum prevention of folic acid–preventable NTDs across different ethnic groups. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:444–451, 2013. © 2014 The Authors Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

AB - BACKGROUNDIt is widely accepted that periconceptional supplementation with folic acid can prevent a significant proportion of neural tube defects (NTDs). The present study evaluated how folic acid knowledge and periconceptional use for NTD prevention varies by ethnicity in the United Kingdom (U.K.).METHODSA literature search was conducted to identify studies that included assessment of folic acid knowledge or use in U.K. women of different ethnicities. Only research and referenced sources published after 1991, the year of the landmark Medical Research Council's Vitamin Study, were included. A meta‐analysis was performed of studies that assessed preconceptional folic acid use in Caucasians and non‐Caucasians.RESULTSFive studies met the inclusion criteria for assessment of knowledge and/or use of folic acid supplements in U.K. women including non‐Caucasians. The available evidence indicates that South Asians specifically have less knowledge and lower periconceptional use of folic acid than Caucasians; one study found that West Indian and African women also had lower folic acid uptake. A synthesis of results from three of the studies, in a meta‐analysis, shows that Caucasians are almost three times more likely to take folic acid before conception than non‐Caucasians.CONCLUSIONFrom the limited evidence available, U.K. women of non‐Caucasian ethnicity appear to have less knowledge and a lower uptake of folic acid supplementation than Caucasians during the periconceptional period. Implementing targeted, innovative education campaigns together with a mandatory fortification policy, including the fortification of ethnic minority foods, will be required for maximum prevention of folic acid–preventable NTDs across different ethnic groups. Birth Defects Research (Part A) 97:444–451, 2013. © 2014 The Authors Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology Published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc.

U2 - 10.1002/bdra.23154

DO - 10.1002/bdra.23154

M3 - Article

SN - 1542-0752

VL - 97

SP - 444

EP - 451

JO - Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology

JF - Birth Defects Research Part A: Clinical and Molecular Teratology

IS - 7

ER -

Knowledge and periconceptional use of folic acid for the prevention of neural tube defects in ethnic communities in the United Kingdom: Systematic review and meta‐analysis

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