SPINA BIFIDA AND HYDROCEPHALUS AWARENESS WEEK

That this House recognises Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Awareness Week from 22 to 26 October 2018; commends the work of charities like Shine and SBH Scotland which provide specialist advice and support for spina bifida and hydrocephalus; notes that folic acid deficiency has led to life threatening birth defects in over 3,000 children since 1997; further notes that a 1991 study found that taking folic acid supplements before pregnancy reduced the risk of neural tube defects by 72 per cent; further recognises that that a study published earlier in 2018 concluded there is no need for an upper limit on folate and stated that every day in the UK, on average two women have a termination of pregnancy because of a neural tube defect and every week two women give birth to an affected child; and calls on the Government to follow the example of Australia, Canada, the US and 80 other countries across the world and legislate to implement the mandatory fortification of flour with folic acid to prevent neural tube defects including spina bifida, hydrocephalus and anencephaly.