Screening for coeliac disease as a possible maternal risk factor for neural tube defect

Coeliac disease is an important cause of malabsorption, particularly of folic acid, in adults. We investigated the possibility that it might be a maternal risk factor for neural tube defect (NTD)-associated pregnancy by screening affected mothers using serum endomysial antibody (EmA) which has high...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inClinical genetics Vol. 49; no. 2; p. 107
Main Authors Dickey, W, Stewart, F, Nelson, J, McBreen, G, McMillan, S A, Porter, K G
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published Denmark 01.02.1996
Subjects
Adult
Biopsy
Celiac Disease - diagnosis
Female
Humans
Immunoglobulin A - analysis
Muscle Fibers, Skeletal - immunology
Neural Tube Defects - etiology
Pregnancy
Pregnancy Complications
Risk Factors
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Summary:Coeliac disease is an important cause of malabsorption, particularly of folic acid, in adults. We investigated the possibility that it might be a maternal risk factor for neural tube defect (NTD)-associated pregnancy by screening affected mothers using serum endomysial antibody (EmA) which has high sensitivity and specificity for coeliac disease. One (1.6%) of 60 patients was EmA positive and had a diagnosis of coeliac disease confirmed by the finding of villous atrophy on jejunal biopsy. In conclusion, the majority of NTD-associated pregnancies are not associated with maternal coeliac disease and our study is additional evidence that abnormalities of folic acid metabolism rather than absorption are the most important risk factors for NTD. Further studies are needed to determine whether the coeliac disease prevalence among women with NTD-affected pregnancy is higher than that of the general population.
ISSN:0009-9163
1399-0004
DOI:10.1111/j.1399-0004.1996.tb04339.x