§ Mr. ThurnhamTo ask the Secretary of State for Health what estimate he has made of the effect on the incidence of abortions of adding folic acid to bread. [3589]
§ Mr. HoramFolic acid is currently added to some 10 per cent. of bread. Fortifying bread with this vitamin has only been practised, as a voluntary measure by the manufacturers, in very recent years. It is not possible to assess whether this limited and recent change in the diet has had an effect on the incidence of spontaneous abortions or whether this change has influenced the number of pregnancies affected by neural tube defects whose outcome has been termination of pregnancy.
A sub-group of the Committee on Medical Aspects of Food and Nutrition Policy is considering whether extending such fortification is advisable, and is expected to report late in 1997.