Maternal folate insufficiency in the first 28 days of pregnancy is a major cause of neural tube defects.
The most common forms of these defects include spina bifida and anencephaly, which result in elective pregnancy terminations, stillbirths, early neonatal deaths or long-term disabilities.
Improving maternal folate status through folic acid fortification and supplementation can dramatically reduce the number of affected births and significantly contribute to reducing neonatal and child mortality.