- © 2005 Canadian Medical Association or its licensors
The population-based study of neural tube defects by Joel Ray and associates1 raises 2 important concerns. First, as noted by the authors in their discussion of study limitations, ethnicity may simply be a confounding factor in neural tube defects caused by poor folic acid intake. Second, perhaps the maternal serum screening form should be used to obtain additional information on risk factors for neural tube defects, to allow researchers to study this rare public health issue. Even a crude measure of folic acid intake (e.g., as low, medium or high) would be more helpful than no information at all.
Reference
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