Spina bifida risk factors

Editor-In-Chief: C. Michael Gibson, M.S., M.D. [1]; Associate Editor(s)-in-Chief: Mohamadmostafa Jahansouz M.D.[2]

Risk factors in the development of spina bifida may be occupational, environmental, genetic, and viral. Common maternal nutrition risk factors in the development of spina bifida include: Alcohol use, caffeine use, low folate intake, low dietary quality, elevated glycaemic load or index, low methionine intake, low serum choline level, low serum vitamin B12 level, low vitamin C level, low zinc intake, smoking, hyperthermia, low socio-economic status, maternal infections and illnesses, pregestational insulin-dependent diabetes, pregestational obesity, psychosocial stress and valproic acid use. Environmental factors in the development of spina bifida include: Ambient air pollution, disinfectant by-products in drinking water, indoor air pollution, nitrate-related compounds, organic solvents, pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons.

Common risk factors in the development of spina bifida may be occupational, environmental, genetic, and viral.

Common risk factors in the development of spina bifida include:^{[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][8][9][10][11][12]}

1. Maternal nutrition factors:

• Alcohol use
• Caffeine use
• Low folate intake
• Low dietary quality
• Elevated glycaemic load or index
• Low methionine intake
• Low serum choline level
• Low serum vitamin B12 level
• Low vitamin C level
• Low zinc intake
• Smoking
• Hyperthermia
• Low socio-economic status
• Maternal infections and illnesses
• Pregestational insulin-dependent diabetes
• Pregestational obesity
• Psychosocial stress
• Valproic acid use

2. Environmental factors:

• Ambient air pollution^[13]
• Disinfectant by-products in drinking water^[14]
• Indoor air pollution^[15]
• Nitrate-related compounds^[16]
• Organic solvents^[17]
• Pesticides^[18]
• Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons^[19]

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