LAUSR

A recent study observed women's restricted carbohydrate diet in the year before conception was associated with increased risk of neural tube defect (NTD)‐affected pregnancies. That study corresponded to the era of postfortification of folic acid. Because folic acid and carbohydrate measures would derive from similar foods, investigators of that study could not determine whether the increased risk with restricted carbohydrate intake was a consequence of lower folate intake. We extend their novel observation by examining rigorous NTD data prior to folic acid fortification.