Folate supplementation and neural tube defects: a review of a public health issue.

Folate deficiency is one of today's most common vitamin deficiencies in women. Women who consume a low level of folate during pregnancy are at risk for poor pregnancy outcomes including neural tube defects (NTD). However, other factors such as heredity, social class, maternal age, birth order, maternal diet, length of time between pregnancies, maternal zinc deficiency, use of anticonvulsant drugs, abnormal homocysteine metabolism and the use of oral contraceptives, have also been implicated as causes of NTD. Animal studies have shown that fetuses are highly dependent on the folate status of the mother. In addition, several retrospective and prospective human studies have provided evidence that folate lowers the incidence of NTD.

[The sociodemographic profile and physical growth patterns of pediatric patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome followed at the San Juan City Hospital: 1986-1990]. / Perfil sociodemográfico y medidas del crecimiento físico en pacientes pediátricos con el síndrome de inmunodeficiencia adquirida seguidos en el Hospital Municipal de San Juan: 1986-1990.

Between September 1989 and August 1990, Puerto Rico was ranked third in the number of pediatric AIDS cases in the United States. The highest number of pediatric AIDS cases has been identified in high risk metropolitan areas. AIDS usually affects children of mothers with history of intravenous drug user. This work attempts to describe the sociodemographic profile and physical growth pattern of the pediatric aids cases followed at the San Juan Aids Institute between the years 1986 and 1990. The sample consist of 40 living patients diagnosed as AIDS cases. Ninety percent of the cases acquired the disease by perinatal transmission. Intravenous drug use by the mother was the most common risk factor identified (67.5% of the cases). Forty two percent of the mothers were not legally married. Seventy percent of the children were born after the 38th week of gestation with an average weight of 2,954 grams and average height of 50.9 centimeters. Upon classification in any P2 categories (according to CDC criteria for children under 13 years of age), 67.7% of the cases were below the 50th. percentile of weight and 86.9% of the cases were below the 50th. percentile of height.