Sir, – On May 5th, 2015, an article by Paul Cullen entitled "Folic acid is a scandal in the making" was published in the Health + Family section of your newspaper.
It reported on the increased incidence of neural tube defects, anencephaly and spina bifida – both very serious congenital defects – and pointed out that taking folic acid in very early pregnancy can prevent many cases.
This year on May 5th, in the main part of the newspaper, there was an article by Paul Cullen on the report by the Food safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) that highlighted "the need for women of childbearing age to have higher intakes of folic acid, to reduce the incidence of severe birth defects here".
This is not news – we have known this for nearly 30 years.
The report also points out that the mandatory fortification of flour or bread with folic acid would require legislation. This is not news either.
On May 12th last year, you published a letter from me, part of which I quote: "When I was a member of Seanad Éireann, I frequently spoke on the desirability of mandatory fortification of flour or bread. Relying on commercial producers to ensure adequate folic acid is in their products is totally unsatisfactory.
“Worse still, cheaper brands are least likely to be fortified, as pointed out in the article, and those women and girls most at risk are from lower socioeconomic groups. I now realise mandatory fortification will not take place here in Ireland until the UK, or maybe the whole EU, does so.
“But the least the Department of Health can do is run campaigns on the importance of folic acid for women of childbearing years with some sort of regularity. I cannot remember the last one.
“The situation is made worse by the dreadful increase in obesity in this country.
“Young women are often much fatter than their mothers were when they became pregnant and they will require higher doses of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects. These young women should be encouraged to lose weight for many other reasons associated with pregnancy.”
There has been no action by the Department of Health in the last year. I do not believe there will be any now, no matter what the Food safety Authority of Ireland report says. – Yours, etc,
MARY HENRY, MD
Dublin 4.