Importância do ácido fólico na gestação

REVISÃO REVIEW

Efeito da fortificação com ácido fólico na redução dos defeitos do tubo neural
The effect of folic acid fortification on the reduction of neural tube defects

Leonor Maria Pacheco Santos
Michelle Zanon Pereira 1

1

Abstract
1 Faculdade de Ciências da Saúde, Universidade de
Brasília, Brasília, Brasil.

Correspondência
L. M. P. Santos
Departamento de Nutrição,
Faculdade de Ciências da
Saúde, Universidade de
Brasília.
Campus Universitário
Darcy Ribeiro, Brasília, DF
70910-900, Brasil. [e-mail] Introdução

Neural tube defects are congenital malformations that occur during initial fetal development, leading to anencephaly and spina bifida; folic acid deficiency is the most important risk factor identified to date. Brazil has one of the world’s highest neural tube defect rates. Food consumption surveys among pregnant Brazilian women showed a high rate of inadequate folic acid intake (< 0.6mg/day). In 2004, the National
Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) mandated the fortification of corn meal and wheat flour with folic acid (0.15mg/100g). The National Family Budget Survey estimated the average amount of bread/flour products available in households as 106.1g/day (contributing with
0.16mg folic acid/day). However, while in the
South of the country the supply was 144g/day, in the North and Central West it barely reached
70g/day. Folic acid food fortification is mandatory in some 40 countries, but only four have assessed this strategy. The existing studies have all shown a significant impact, ranging from 19 to 78%. Folic acid fortification is an undeniably important intervention for primary prevention, and neural tube defects can now be considered a preventable epidemic.

Os defeitos do tubo neural são malformações que ocorrem na fase inicial do desenvolvimento fetal, entre a terceira e a quinta semana de gestação, envolvendo a estrutura primitiva que dará origem ao cérebro e à medula espinhal.