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<p>Information on high risk groups suffering neural tube defects at birth is not collected
centrally.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>There are no current mechanisms in place
for monitoring the take-up of advice given on the NHS Choices website about preventing
spina bifida.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The British Isles Network of Congenital
Anomaly Registers (BINOCAR) collects information about the mother and child, including
postcode of residence, mother’s age, pregnancy length, pregnancy outcome, when and
how the anomaly was identified and the details of each anomaly.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p>
</p><p>Information on congenital abnormalities including spina bifida, hydrocephalus
and anencephaly is collected by the British Isles Network of Congenital Anomaly Registers.
Data is currently available for 2009–2012.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>The following
table shows the number of live births for years 2009-2012</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>
</p><table><tbody><tr><td colspan="5"><p>Number of cases, birth prevalence (per 10,000
total births) and 95% CIs according to congenital anomaly subgroup; six BINOCAR registers
(coverage: 36% of births in England and Wales): 2009-2012 – Live Births</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>
</p></td><td><p>2009</p></td><td><p>2010</p></td><td><p>2011</p></td><td><p>2012</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Congenital
anomaly</p><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p> </p></td><td><p>
</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Spina bifida</p><p> </p></td><td><p>31</p></td><td><p>53</p></td><td><p>34</p></td><td><p>44</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Hydrocephalus</p><p>
</p></td><td><p>48</p></td><td><p>85</p></td><td><p>72</p></td><td><p>84</p></td></tr><tr><td><p>Anencephalus
and similar</p><p> </p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>4</p></td><td><p>1</p></td><td><p>6</p></td></tr></tbody></table><p>
</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p><p>In line with National Institute for Health
and Care Excellence guidelines, health professionals use appropriate opportunities
to advise all women who may become pregnant that they can most easily reduce the risk
of having a baby with a neural tube defect by taking folic acid supplements. This
information is also available on the NHS Choices website.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>
</p><p>The Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition (SACN) was, however, commissioned
to provide advice to government on the impact of folic acid fortification to improve
the folate status of women and therefore reduce the number of pregnancies affected
by neural tube defects. This built on previous advice from SACN’s predecessor the
Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy in 2000. The Government
is currently considering the recommendations that SACN made alongside other information
sources, including the latest folate status data and expects to make an announcement
on this in due course.</p><p> </p>
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