Clinicians on the Front Line: Focus on Preconception Folate Counseling

Program Description:

Folate/folic intake plays a critical role in reducing risk for neural tube defects, but only if the intervention takes place before and in the very earliest days of pregnancy. Preconception counseling on this important point is vital for all reproductive-aged women, regardless of whether they are actively planning a pregnancy. This monograph addresses the relationship between folate/folic acid and neural tube defects, strategies to improve folate/folic acid intake among reproductive-aged women, and when, why, and how to provide appropriate patient counseling.

Activity Objectives:

After completing this educational activity, participants should be able to:

• Describe population-wide strategies to reduce the risk for neural tube defects
• Identify women who require counseling about folate/folic acid intake
• List 3 demographic characteristics of women who may be less likely to adhere to recommended levels of folate/folic acid intake
• Translate broad-based recommendations about folate/folic acid intake into individualized recommendations for each patient
• Develop strategies to ensure that their reproductive-aged patients receive appropriate counseling about reducing risk for neural tube defects

Faculty:

Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD
Professor and Associate Chairman
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
University of Florida College of Medicine— Jacksonville
Jacksonville, FL

Lee P. Shulman, MD
Anna Ross Lapham Professor and Chief Division of Reproductive Genetics
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Medical Director, Graduate Program in Genetic Counseling
Co-Director, Northwestern Ovarian Cancer Early Detection and Prevention Program
Feinberg School of Medicine of Northwestern University
Chicago, IL

Anna Maria Siega-Riz, PhD, RD
Professor
Departments of Epidemiology and Nutrition
Associate Chair of Epidemiology
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
Gillings School of Global Public Health
Chapel Hill, NC

Lynn Borgatta, MD, MPH
Course Director
Associate Professor
Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology
Boston Medical Center
Boston, MA

Disclosures:

Andrew M. Kaunitz, MD, is participating in or has participated in clinical trials for Barr (Teva), Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Ortho (Johnson & Johnson), Medical Diagnostic Laboratories, Organon (Schering-Plough), and Procter & Gamble. He is also a speaker and/or consultant for Barr (Teva), Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Ortho (Johnson & Johnson), Merck & Co., Inc., Organon (Schering-Plough), and Procter & Gamble. Dr Kaunitz is also a stockholder of Becton, Dickinson and Company and sanofi-aventis.

Lee P. Shulman, MD, receives grant/research support from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals. He is a consultant for and is on the speakers bureaus of Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals, Ortho-McNeil Pharmaceutical, Inc., Barr Laboratories/Duramed, and Schering-Plough.

Anna Maria Siega-Riz, PhD, RD, is a consultant for Nestlé and Shoulder to Shoulder.

Lynn Borgatta, MD, MPH, Course Director, receives grant/research support from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals and Roche Pharmaceuticals. Dr. Borgatta also serves on the speakers bureau for Schering-Plough.

The planning committee (Elizabeth Gifford and Elizabeth Stier, MD, Boston University, Fay Nham and Jill Rovitzky Black, Haymarket Medical Education) has no significant financial relationships to disclose.

Boston University School of Medicine advises the audience that one or more articles in this continuing medical education activity may contain reference(s) to unlabeled or unapproved uses of drugs or devices.

Dr. Kaunitz will reference unlabeled/investigational uses of a commercial product.

Dr. Shulman and Dr. Siega-Riz will not reference unlabeled/investigational uses of a commercial product.

DISCLAIMER
THESE MATERIALS AND ALL OTHER MATERIALS PROVIDED IN CONJUNCTION WITH CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION ACTIVITIES ARE INTENDED SOLELY FOR PURPOSES OF SUPPLEMENTING CONTINUING MEDICAL EDUCATION PROGRAMS FOR QUALIFIED HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS. ANYONE USING THE MATERIALS ASSUMES FULL RESPONSIBILITY AND ALL RISK FOR THEIR APPROPRIATE USE. TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY MAKES NO WARRANTIES OR REPRESENTATIONS WHATSOEVER REGARDING THE ACCURACY, COMPLETENESS, CURRENTNESS, NONINFRINGEMENT, MERCHANTABILITY, OR FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE OF THE MATERIALS. IN NO EVENT WILL TRUSTEES OF BOSTON UNIVERSITY BE LIABLE TO ANYONE FOR ANY DECISION MADE OR ACTION TAKEN IN RELIANCE ON THE MATERIALS. IN NO EVENT SHOULD THE INFORMATION IN THE MATERIALS BE USED AS A SUBSTITUTE FOR PROFESSIONAL CARE.

This program is sponsored by Boston University School of Medicine.

This program is supported by an unrestricted educational grant from Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals.

If you wish to contact Boston University School of Medicine, please email cme@bu.edu, or visit the website http://www.bu.edu/cme. To view the privacy policy of Boston University School of Medicine, please visit http://www.bu.edu/cme/policies/privacy_policy.html.

Instructions:

To obtain credit, a score of 70% or better is required. This CME is offered at no cost to participants. Please proceed with the activity until you have successfully completed this program, answered all test questions, completed the posttest survey, and have received your digital copy of your credit certificate. Your online certificate will be saved on myCME.com within your Profile/Exam History, which you can then access at any time.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:

WINDOWS PC SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
266-MHz Pentium II; Windows 98 or higher; 64 MB RAM; 800 x 600 screen resolution set for “High Color (16-Bit)”; Macromedia Flash Player 6 or higher.

MACINTOSH^® SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS:
Power Mac g3 at 300 MHz; System 8.5 or higher (excluding Mac OSX); 96 MB RAM; 20 MB minimum hard disk space available; 800 x 600 screen resolution set to “Thousands of Colors”; Macromedia Flash Player 6 or higher.