Epidemiology
of Neural Tube Defects (NTDs)
NTDs
are the third most common type of birth defect after congenital heart defects and
Down’s syndrome.
Every
year:
- Over 300,000 pregnancies are affected by neural tube defects globally.[3]
- In the United States
alone, approximately 2,500 babies are born
with neural tube defects, and many additional affected pregnancies result in miscarriage
or stillbirth.[2]
- 1,300 neonates (or babies younger than 28 days) die from NTDs in the U.S.[4]
Not only are there physical and emotional costs associated with
NTDs, there is also the monetary cost to consider. For example, medical and surgical care
for persons with spina bifida costs more than $750 million annually.[5]
| These
statistics might be reduced if all women of childbearing age took enough folic acid daily
starting before pregnancy. |
|
