Pediatria pre prax 1/2008

FOLIC ACID AND CONGENITAL ANOMALIES

Congenital anomalies occur in a large portion of newborns. Aetiology of congenital anomalies is multifactorial, but present research point on the role of folic acid (folic acid pathway and homocysteine pathway and their genetic background) in many congenital anomalies(neural tube defects, cleft lip with/without palate, structural heart defects, limb defects, urinary tract anomalies and other). Folic acid has a complex function in the organism and a positive affect on the fetuses. Therefore the fact, that there is a possibility for primary prevention of specific congenital anomalies with periconceptional folic acid supplementation, appears to be important.

Keywords: folic acid, neural tube defects, congenital heart defects, Down syndrome, congenital anomalies, etiopathogenesis, MTHFR, prevention.