GynecologyGynecology2079-56962079-5831Consilium Medicum28543Research ArticleEndre Czeizel and the concept of primary prevention of congenital malformations of the fetusDonnikovA Eonnikov@oparina4.ruV.I.Kulakov Research Center for Obstetrics, Gynecology and Perinatology of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation15082016184263009042020Copyright © 2016, Consilium Medicum2016The article describes the history of development of the concept of primary prevention of congenital malformations of the fetus via periconceptional receiving of multivitamin preparations containing folic acid. The results of Hungarian studies on the use of multivitamins are also given below as well as the current understanding of the mechanism of the prophylactic action of folic acid from a position of pharmacogenetics. The data on the use of different biochemical forms of folate is presented as well.MTHFRfolic acidfetal malformationsneural tube defectsvitamin prophylaxisthe MTHFRmultivitaminspregravid preparationnutrition during pregnancyhistory of medicineфолиевая кислотапороки развития плодадефекты нервной трубкивитаминопрофилактикамультивитаминыпрегравидарная подготовкапитание во время беременностиистория медицины[Smithells R.W, Sheppard S, Schorah C.J. Vitamin deficiencies and neural tube defects. Arch Dis Child 1976; 51 (12): 944-50.][Smithells R.W, Sheppard S, Schorah C.J et al. Possible prevention of neural - tube defects by periconceptional vitamin supplementation. Lancet 1980; 1 (8164): 339-40.][Smithells R.W, Nevin N.C, Seller M.J et al. Further experience of vitamin supplementation for prevention of neural tube defect recurrences. Lancet 1983; 1 (8332): 1027-31.][Schorah C.J, Wild J, Hartley R et al. The effect of periconceptional supplementation on blood vitamin concentrations in women at recurrence risk for neural tube defect. Br J Nutr 1983; 49 (2): 203-11.][Czeizel A.E. Folic Acid/Folic Acid - Containing Multivitamins and Primary Prevention of Birth Defects and Preterm Birth. 2010; 643-72.][The Randomized Controlled Trial of Periconceptional Multivitamin Supplementation on Structural Birth Defects and Pregnancy Outcomes, 1984-1994 (http://www.socio.com/cam16.php)][Prevention of neural tube defects: results of the Medical Research Council Vitamin Study. MRC Vitamin Study Research Group. Lancet 1991; 338 (8760): 131-7.][Berry R.J, Li Z, Erickson J.D et al. Prevention of neural - tube defects with folic acid in China. China-U.S. Collaborative Project for Neural Tube Defect Prevention. N Engl J Med 1999; 341 (20): 1485-90.][Recommendations for the use of folic acid to reduce the number of cases of spina bifida and other neural tube defects / MMWR Recomm Rep. 1992; Vol. 41. №RR14. 1-7.][Czeizel A.E. The primary prevention of birth defects: Multivitamins or folic acid? Int J Med Sci 2004; 1 (1): 50-61.][Czeizel A.E, Rockenbauer M, Siffel C, Varga E. Description and mission evaluation of the Hungarian case - control surveillance of congenital abnormalities, 1980-1996. Teratology 2001; 63 (5): 176-85.][Периконцепционная профилактика врожденных пороков развития: диалог с профессором Эндре Цейзелем//Consilium Medicum. Ukraina 2013; 5.][Czeizel A, Dudás I, Vereczkey A, Bánhidy F. Folate Deficiency and Folic Acid Supplementation: The Prevention of Neural - Tube Defects and Congenital Heart Defects. Nutrients 2013; 5 (11): 4760-75.][Fox J.T, Stover P.J. Folate - mediated one - carbon metabolism. Vitamins and hormones. 2008; 79: 1-44.][Yates J.R.W, Ferguson-Smith M.A, Shenkin A et al. Is disordered folate metabolism the basis for the genetic predisposition to neural tube defects? Clin Genet 2008; 31 (5): 279-87.][Silaste M.L, Rantala M, Sampi M et al. Polymorphisms of key enzymes in homocysteine metabolism affect diet responsiveness of plasma homocysteine in healthy women. J Nutr 2001; 131 (10): 2643-7.][Периконцепционная профилактика врожденных пороков развития: диалог с профессором Эндре Цейзелем//Consilium Medicum. Ukraina 2013; 10.][Lakshmaiah N, Bamji M.S. Half - life and metabolism of 3H-folic acid in oral contraceptive treated rats. Horm Metab Res 1981; 13 (7): 404-7.][Czeizel A.E, Dudas I, Paput L, Banhidy F. Prevention of neural - tube defects with periconceptional folic acid, methylfolate, or multivitamins? Ann Nutr Metab 2011; 58 (4): 263-71.][Prinz-Langenohl R, Bramswig S, Tobolski O et al. [6S]-5-methyltetrahydrofolate increases plasma folate more effectively than folic acid in women with the homozygous or wild - type 677C-->T polymorphism of methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase. Br J Pharmacol 2009; 158 (8): 2014-21.][Ambrosino P, Lupoli R, Di Minno A et al. Cyclic supplementation of 5-MTHF is effective for the correction of hyperhomocysteinemia. Nutr Res 2015; 35 (6): 489-95.][Кузнецова И.В., Коновалов В.А. Фолиевая кислота и ее роль в женской репродукции//Гинекология. 2014; 4: 17-23.]