Has Spina Bifida Decreased?

Overall, the birth incidence of spina bifida decreased by 6.9%, from 2.04 per 10,000 live births in 1999-2000 to 1.90 during 2003-2005.

In what years did the incidence of spina bifida show the greatest decline?

Over the past 25 years there has been a dramatic decline in the birth prevalence of neural tube defects (NTDs). 1 In 1970 the reported rates were 1.4 per 1000 births for anencephaly and 1.7 per 1000 for spina bifida and in 1997 they were 0.05 and 0.07 per 1000 respectively—a decline in NTDs of 96% (fig 1).

Why have neural tube defects decreased?

Rates of neural tube birth defects were already dropping before folic acid food fortification began in the late 1990s, but the decline has since slowed, according to a large new study. Pregnant women are often advised to take folic acid to decrease the risk of neural tube defects in their babies.