Neural Tube Defects in Jamaica Following Hurricane Gilbert.

NEURAL tube defects; HURRICANES; INFANT diseases; MOTHERS

An increased incidence of obvious live-birth neural tube defects (i.e., spina bifida cystica and encephalocele) occurred in Jamaica 11 to 18 months after Hurricane Gilbert. The conceptions of the affected babies coincided with a rise in megaloblastic change in sickle cell patients, suggesting a widespread drop in dietary folate intake. A detailed history was taken from each of the 17 affected mothers (case subjects) and 51 unaffected mothers (matched control subjects). The case subjects reported a significantly lower mean intake of dietary folate in the periconceptional period (154 µg/day) than did the control subjects (254 µg/day). The temporary increase in neural tube defects was associated with a diet comparatively low in folate in the periconceptional period, suggesting the dietary level of folate that fails to protect against neural tube defects under natural conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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