Prevalence and determinants of inadequate use of folic acid supplementation in Japanese pregnant women: the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)

Obara, Taku; Nishigori, Hidekazu; Nishigori, Toshie; Metoki, Hirohito; Ishikuro, Mami; Tatsuta, Nozomi; Mizuno, Satoshi; Sakurai, K.; Nishijima, Ichiko; Murai, Yuriko; Fujiwara, Ikuma; Arima, Takahiro; Nakai, Kunihiko; Mano, Nariyasu; Yaegashi, Nobuo; Kuriyama, Shinichi

doi:10.1080/14767058.2016.1179273

Cited by 19 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 27 publications

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…From the time of diagnosis of pregnancy until week 12 of pregnancy, and from week 12 of pregnancy until the time of the “In-T2” interview, the percentages were 28.89% and 26.16%, respectively. These values before and after pregnancy diagnosis were markedly lower than those reported in the studies conducted in other countries [ 27 ]. This indicates that Japanese women of childbearing age should be informed about the need for folic acid intake before pregnancy, to prevent neural tube defects.…”

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 78%

Drug Use before and during Pregnancy in Japan: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study

et al. 2017

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Purpose: To elucidate drug use before and during pregnancy in Japan. Methods: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS) is an ongoing nationwide birth cohort study. We analyzed data from JECS involving cases where drugs were used for 12 months before pregnancy was diagnosed, between the time of diagnosis of pregnancy until week 12 of pregnancy, and after week 12 of pregnancy. Results: We analyzed data from 97,464 pregnant women. The percentages of pregnant women who had taken one or more drugs and supplements before diagnosis of pregnancy, between the time of diagnosis of pregnancy until week 12 of pregnancy, and after week 12 of pregnancy, were 78.4%, 57.1%, and 68.8% respectively. Excluding iron supplements, folic acid, and other vitamins and minerals, the percentages of women taking supplements were 75.3%, 36.0%, and 51.7% at each respective time point. The following drugs and supplements were frequently used for 12 months before pregnancy diagnosis: Commercially available antipyretics, analgesics, and/or medicine for treating common cold (34.7%), antipyretics, analgesics, and/or medicine for treating common colds, which were prescribed in hospitals (29.8%), antimicrobial drugs (14.0%), and anti-allergy drugs (12.5%). The following drugs and supplements were frequently used from the time of pregnancy diagnosis until week 12 of pregnancy, and after week 12 of pregnancy: folic acid (28.9% and 26.2%), antipyretics, analgesics and/or medicines for treating common cold, that were prescribed in hospitals (7.8% and 13.3%), Chinese herbal medicines (6.0% and 9.4%, and uterine relaxants (5.1% and 15.2%). Conclusions: The analysis of a nationwide cohort study showed that a high percentage of Japanese pregnant women were taking medicinal drugs. Further research is required to elucidate the relationship between drug use during pregnancy and birth defects in Japan.

show abstract

Section: Discussioncontrasting

confidence: 78%

Drug Use before and during Pregnancy in Japan: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study

et al. 2017

Self Cite

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Nelson et al (2014) (26) Cross-sectional study (27) Cross-sectional study (29) Cross-sectional study 100 000 Japanese women between January 2011 and March 2014…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Awareness, use and information sources of folic acid supplementation to prevent neural tube defects in pregnant Japanese women

Yamamoto

Wada

2017

Public Health Nutr.

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…(b) the rate of folic acid intakes prior to the conception has been also low among pregnant women, 7.4% to 15.2%,27,28 and (c) food fortification with folic acid has not been implemented, while folic acid was voluntarily added to a few percent of foods, such as cereals, bread, cookies, milk, drinks, and so forth. According to the governmental population census,29 the number of deliveries (LB + SB) was 1 027 063 in 2014 and 1 028 294 in 2015.Then, neonates delivered with NTDs and fetuses terminated with NTDs were estimated to be 371 and 490 for the year 2014, and 440 and 460 for the year 2015, respectively.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Real prevalence of neural tube defects in Japan: How many of such pregnancies have been terminated?

Kondo¹,

Akada

Akiyama

et al. 2019

Congenital Anomalies

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

The vital role of folic acid is to reduce the risk of having a neonate afflicted with neural tube defects. The prevalence of neural tube defects (myelomeningocele and anencephaly) has been reported in an incomplete form over the last 40 years in Japan. We aimed to evaluate the total number of neural tube defects including those delivered or terminated, to clarify the proportion of those terminated, and to internationally compare their prevalence. Through information on >311 000 deliveries obtained from 262 hospitals/clinics for 2 years of 2014 and 2015, we identified that the rate of total neural tube defects (termination of pregnancy, live births and stillbirths) was 8.29 per 10 000 deliveries for the year 2014 and was 8.72 for 2015, which were 1.5 and 1.6 times higher than the respective values (live births and stillbirths) reported. It is also observed that the ratio of the total number of myelomeningocele (termination of pregnancy, live births, and stillbirths) to that of anencephaly was approximately 1:1.2, that a half of pregnancies afflicted with neural tube defects were terminated, and that the proportion of termination of pregnancy due to myelomeningocele and due to anencephaly was 20% and 80%, respectively. Internationally, the real prevalence of neural tube defects in Japan was comparatively high, ranking fifth among the seven developed countries. In conclusion, the real prevalence of total neural tube defects was approximately 1.5 times higher than that currently reported by the Japan Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

show abstract

Prevalence and determinants of inadequate use of folic acid supplementation in Japanese pregnant women: the Japan Environment and Children’s Study (JECS)

Abstract: Most Japanese pregnant women show inadequate folic acid supplementation use. Japanese women of child-bearing age need to be specifically informed about the need for periconceptional intake of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects.

Cited by 19 publications

References 27 publications

Drug Use before and during Pregnancy in Japan: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study

Drug Use before and during Pregnancy in Japan: The Japan Environment and Children’s Study

Awareness, use and information sources of folic acid supplementation to prevent neural tube defects in pregnant Japanese women

Real prevalence of neural tube defects in Japan: How many of such pregnancies have been terminated?

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About