Oral Cleft Prevention Trial in Brazil

Craniofacial anomalies and cleft lip with or without cleft palate (CL/P) are a model for the impact of birth defects on fetal and neonatal health directly and maternal health indirectly. Craniofacial anomalies comprise a significant component of morbid human birth defects. The primary hypothesis is that folic acid supplementation of 4mg/day at preconception and during the first three months of pregnancy will decrease the recurrence of nonsyndromic cleft lip with or without clef palate (NSCL/P) in a high-risk group of women when compared to women taking 0.4 mg per day of folic acid. The total sample will include 2,000 women (that either have NSCL/P or that have at least one child with NSCL/P) randomly assigned to the 4 mg versus the 0.4 mg folic acid study groups. The study will also compare the recurrence rates of NSCL/P in the total sample of subjects as well as the two study groups (4mg, 0.4 mg) to that of a historical control group.

The primary outcome assessed is the rate of recurrences of NSCL/P in offspring of the trial mothers in each of the two study groups. Secondary outcomes include recurrence of NSCL/P compared to a historical control group; serum and red cell folate levels; severity of NSCL/P in offspring of trial mothers; twinning rate; miscarriage rate; preeclampsia; rates of other birth defects; birth weight; and gestational age. The sample size was based on historic tables of birth rates and the rates of cleft occurrences. The study hypothesizes that a total of 2000 subjects will be enrolled during a 2.5 year period; a dropout rate of 10%; birth rate for group A (women with NSCL/P) of 10% and a rate of 12% for group B (women with at least one child with NSCL/P); risk of cleft for group A is 7% and for group B is 4%; one-sided test with continuity correction.

Inclusion criteria

• All women must reside in the state where the clinic is located.
• Women with NSCL/P who attend the craniofacial clinics, who are 16 to 45 years of age (after age 45 fecundity decreases substantially)who attend the craniofacial clinic for their care.
• Women (ages 16 to 45 years of age) who have at least one natural child of any age with NSCL/P who receives care at the participating craniofacial clinics.

Exclusion criteria

• Cases resulting from consanguineous couples (first, second, and third degree, i.e., first cousins or closer).
• Couples where at least one of the two is definitely sterilized.
• Women on anti-epileptic drugs.
• Women who are pregnant.
• Women who are planning to move outside of the state where the clinic is located within the next year.
• Women who are planning to move outside of Sao Paulo state within the next year.
• Women who have B12 deficiency (B12 level is below 174 pg/ml or 134.328 pmol/L).
• Women who have an allergy to folic acid.