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Important Facts for Spina Bifida

Definition

Number of children born with spina bifida per 10,000 live births to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.

Numerator

Number of children born with spina bifida among live births to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.

Denominator

Count of all live births to women residing in New Jersey in a specified time interval.

Why Is This Important?

Spina bifida is a neural tube defect caused by the failure of the fetus's spine to close properly during the first few week of pregnancy. Research with humans and animals suggests a genetic basis for the defect. It is considered likely that spina bifida results from the interaction of multiple genes and environmental factors. Research has shown that lack of folic acid is a contributing factor in the pathogenesis of neural tube defects, including spina bifida. Supplementation of the mother's diet with folic acid can reduce the overall incidence of neural tube defects by about 70 percent.
The information provided above is from the Department of Health's NJSHAD web site (https://nj.gov/health/shad). The information published on this website may be reproduced without permission. Please use the following citation: " Retrieved Thu, 28 March 2024 6:09:45 from Department of Health, New Jersey State Health Assessment Data Web site: https://nj.gov/health/shad ".

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