International Journal of Nursing

Determination of Risk Factors Associated with Neural Tube Defects in Infants
Ragaa Gasim Ahmed Mohmmed

Abstract
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are serious birth defects of the brain and spine, NTDs is the major cause of disabilities in developing countries, there are many risk factors for this problem such as folic acid deficiency, consanguinity, genetic factors, exposure to x-ray radiation, chronic disease such as maternal diabetes and treatment of epilepsy such as valporic acid. Material and Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional facility-based study, the study population were all infants with NTDs who were coming to the neurosurgery clinic at the time of the study (June 2018 to September 2018) at Ibrahim Malik Teaching Hospital – Khartoum, the data were collected by questionnaire, by convenience sampling method, sample size is total coverage during the study period, data were analyzed by the computerized method Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20. The results: The current study revealed that most of all groups of infants were female (56%) their mean 1.56 ±. 501. The mothers whom conducted antenatal care and taking folic acid immediately after amenorrhea their mean 2.28 ± 1.29 & 3.58 ± 1.79 respectively. There is a significant relationship between early taking folic acid and mother education level p-value (. 000). 60% of children, their parent first-degree cousin, there mean 1.62 ±. 83. Previous family history of NTDs in close sibling (46%) with mean 1.62 ±. 64. Mothers having a chronic disease (Diabetes mellitus & epilepsy) the mean 2.88 ±1. 37. (82%) of mothers, not exposed to x-ray radiation, their mean 1.82 ±. 39. Conclusion: The majority of mothers, not taking folic acid during pregnancy, their awareness is poor regarding the importance of taking folic acid and their husband were related to them.

Full Text: PDF     DOI: 10.15640/ijn.v6n1a9