BACKGROUND: Use of periconceptional @entity1501 supplementation has been promoted in Western Australia since late 1992, and voluntary fortification of some foods with @entity1501 has been permitted in Australia since 1996. Reduced rates of @entity601 ( @entity601 ) have been observed since 1995. Aboriginal @entity1 have a higher rate of @entity601 , but no fall in rates has been documented. Encephaloceles have not been examined separately. METHODS: Data on @entity10413 , @entity3570 , and @entity3976 were obtained from the Western Australian Birth Defects Registry. The prevalence ratio for each type of NTD was calculated, comparing 1993 to 1995 (promotion of supplements, no fortification) and 1996 to 2006 (promotion of supplements and voluntary fortification) with 1980 to 1992 (no promotion or fortification). RESULTS: From 1996 to 2006, there was a 32% reduction in @entity10413 , 23% in @entity3570 , and 34% in @entity3976 compared with 1980 to 1992. There were no differences seen from 1993 to 1995 compared with 1980 to 1992. For Aboriginal @entity1 , the rates were higher than for non-Aboriginal @entity1 , for each type of NTD. The prevalence ratios, comparing 1996 to 2006 with 1980 to 1995, were 0.70 (CI, 0.61-0.79) for non-Aboriginal @entity1 and 0.90 (CI, 0.61-1.32) for Aboriginal @entity1 . CONCLUSIONS: Overall, the rates of @entity3976 , @entity10413 , and @entity3570 have fallen to a similar extent in association with promotion of @entity1501 supplements and voluntary fortification. No such falls were seen for Aboriginal @entity1 . These data will provide a useful baseline against which to monitor the effects of mandatory fortification on @entity601 when it is introduced in Australia in September 2009.

@entity601 in Australia: trends in XXXX and other @entity601 before and after promotion of @entity1501 supplementation and voluntary food fortification.

@entity1501 :: ('MESH:D005492', 'Chemical') :: ['folic acid'] @entity1 :: ('9606', 'Species') :: ['infants'] @entity3570 :: ('MESH:D016135', 'Disease') :: ['spina bifida'] @entity3976 :: ('MESH:D004677', 'Disease') :: ['encephalocele'] @entity10413 :: ('MESH:D000757', 'Disease') :: ['anencephaly'] @entity601 :: ('MESH:D009436', 'Disease') :: ['NTDs', 'neural tube defects']
@entity3976 :: (MESH:D004677,Disease) :: ['encephaloceles']
