Neural Tube Defects

(asked on 2nd November 2015) - View Source
Questioner
Lord Rooker Portrait
Lord Rooker
(Labour - Life peer)

Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what is the prevalence of births affected by neural tube defects in the United Kingdom, and how that figure compares with (1) other member states of the European Union, and (2) the United States and Canada.

Answered by
Lord Prior of Brampton Portrait
Lord Prior of Brampton
This question was answered on 16th November 2015

Data about fortifying and non-fortifying countries is not extensive and does not identify fortifiers and non-fortifiers in a meaningful way. As a result we do not have comparable data for prevalence of births with neural tube defects (NTDs) across the European Union or with North America pre and post fortification. Available data on prevalence is in the public domain and is listed below:

Prevalence of NTD per 10,000 births for those EU members states where figures are available

United Kingdom

12.8

Belgium 8

8.54

Croatia

4.64

Denmark

11.24

France

12.70

Germany

11.00

Ireland

8.19

Italy

5.36

Netherlands

6.71

Poland

10.14

Portugal

4.27

Spain

9.55


Source: EUROCAT Special Report: Prevalence of Neural Tube Defects in younger mothers in Europe 20002008. EUROCAT (2010)


United States

6.5


Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Updated Estimates of Neural Tube Defects Prevented by Mandatory Folic Acid Fortification — United States, 1995–2011. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report. 2015; 64: 1-5.


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