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Prevention of myelomeningocele: African perspectives

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Abstract

Background

The prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs) is now an issue of major public health concern. Myelomeningocele, the most common NTD, often results in severe disabilities and may be life threatening. In Africa, there is little awareness of the NTDs, and most African countries lag behind in the global efforts at preventing them.

Purpose

Following a review of global literature, we discuss the burden of myelomeningocele on the society and the current state of its prevention with an emphasis on Africa within the global context. The realization that folate supplementation reduces the occurrence of NTDs by as much as 85 % offers an opportunity to promote global reduction in the incidence of NTDs through (1) effective folate supplementation strategies combined with (2) secondary prevention using prenatal detection and termination of NTD pregnancies within respective national legal frameworks. We call attention to the poor state of understanding of NTDs in Africa and the alarming rarity of policies to prevent the condition in the continent.

Conclusions

The understanding of the contributions of folate deficiency to the causation of NTDs has enabled appropriate, though still inadequate, preventive measures to be taken in several countries. We call on African governments and the international community to rapidly promote policies aimed at making fortification of wheat (and or other substitute staple foods) with folic acid universally available.

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The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Division of Neurological Surgery, Department of Surgery, LAUTECH Teaching Hospital, Osogbo, Nigeria

    Taopheeq Bamidele Rabiu

  2. Division of Neurological Surgery, Department of Surgery, College of Medicine, University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Amos Olufemi Adeleye

  3. Department of Neurological Surgery, University College Hospital, Ibadan, Nigeria

    Amos Olufemi Adeleye

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  1. Taopheeq Bamidele Rabiu
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Correspondence to Taopheeq Bamidele Rabiu.

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Rabiu, T.B., Adeleye, A.O. Prevention of myelomeningocele: African perspectives. Childs Nerv Syst 29, 1533–1540 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00381-013-2126-4

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