Prevalence of babies born with neural tube defects and geospatial mapping of therapeutic services: a systematic review

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dc.contributor.advisorMaswime, Salome
dc.contributor.advisorIsiagi, Moses
dc.contributor.authorZolo Ossou, Andre Yvan
dc.date.accessioned2025-10-01T11:42:41Z
dc.date.available2025-10-01T11:42:41Z
dc.date.issued2025
dc.date.updated2025-10-01T11:40:34Z
dc.description.abstractIntroduction: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are an important global health concern with high morbidity and mortality. Enhancing access to healthcare for children born with NTDs is crucial for improving health systems and service delivery. Methods: We conducted a systematic review to assess the global prevalence of NTDs and the accessibility of healthcare services. Our search spanned databases like PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus, focusing on NTD prevalence, healthcare service mapping, and access barriers. We followed a standardized data extraction process, and the study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023425843). Results: From 3 067 records, 65 studies met our inclusion criteria, mainly focusing on newborns. The study durations range from six months to 40 years. The NTD prevalence was between 0.4 and 215.13 per 10 000 births, with Spina Bifida, Anencephaly, and Encephalocele being the most common. The African Region was the WHO region with the highest prevalence while the Western Pacific Region had the lowest prevalence. One study used geospatial mapping to identify healthcare access barriers. Conclusion: Our study revealed wide disparities in the prevalence rates of neural tube defects with the African region having the highest prevalence. Geospatial mapping was not used to assess access to healthcare services for children born with NTDs in almost all the studies. This underscores the global challenge of access to surgical care for children born with NTDs and the need for strengthening healthcare services in settings with high prevalences.
dc.identifier.apacitationZolo Ossou, A. Y. (2025). <i>Prevalence of babies born with neural tube defects and geospatial mapping of therapeutic services: a systematic review</i>. (). University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of General Surgery. Retrieved from http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41932en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationZolo Ossou, Andre Yvan. <i>"Prevalence of babies born with neural tube defects and geospatial mapping of therapeutic services: a systematic review."</i> ., University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of General Surgery, 2025. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41932en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationZolo Ossou, A.Y. 2025. Prevalence of babies born with neural tube defects and geospatial mapping of therapeutic services: a systematic review. . University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of General Surgery. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41932en_ZA
dc.identifier.ris TY - Thesis / Dissertation AU - Zolo Ossou, Andre Yvan AB - Introduction: Neural tube defects (NTDs) are an important global health concern with high morbidity and mortality. Enhancing access to healthcare for children born with NTDs is crucial for improving health systems and service delivery. Methods: We conducted a systematic review to assess the global prevalence of NTDs and the accessibility of healthcare services. Our search spanned databases like PubMed, EMBASE, and Scopus, focusing on NTD prevalence, healthcare service mapping, and access barriers. We followed a standardized data extraction process, and the study is registered with PROSPERO (CRD42023425843). Results: From 3 067 records, 65 studies met our inclusion criteria, mainly focusing on newborns. The study durations range from six months to 40 years. The NTD prevalence was between 0.4 and 215.13 per 10 000 births, with Spina Bifida, Anencephaly, and Encephalocele being the most common. The African Region was the WHO region with the highest prevalence while the Western Pacific Region had the lowest prevalence. One study used geospatial mapping to identify healthcare access barriers. Conclusion: Our study revealed wide disparities in the prevalence rates of neural tube defects with the African region having the highest prevalence. Geospatial mapping was not used to assess access to healthcare services for children born with NTDs in almost all the studies. This underscores the global challenge of access to surgical care for children born with NTDs and the need for strengthening healthcare services in settings with high prevalences. DA - 2025 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town KW - Accessibility of Healthcare KW - Geospatial Mapping KW - Healthcare Disparities KW - Neural Tube Defects KW - Policy Reform LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PB - University of Cape Town PY - 2025 T1 - Prevalence of babies born with neural tube defects and geospatial mapping of therapeutic services: a systematic review TI - Prevalence of babies born with neural tube defects and geospatial mapping of therapeutic services: a systematic review UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41932 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/41932
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationZolo Ossou AY. Prevalence of babies born with neural tube defects and geospatial mapping of therapeutic services: a systematic review. []. University of Cape Town ,Faculty of Health Sciences ,Division of General Surgery, 2025 [cited yyyy month dd]. Available from: http://hdl.handle.net/11427/41932en_ZA
dc.language.isoen
dc.language.rfc3066eng
dc.publisher.departmentDivision of General Surgery
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Health Sciences
dc.publisher.institutionUniversity of Cape Town
dc.subjectAccessibility of Healthcare
dc.subjectGeospatial Mapping
dc.subjectHealthcare Disparities
dc.subjectNeural Tube Defects
dc.subjectPolicy Reform
dc.titlePrevalence of babies born with neural tube defects and geospatial mapping of therapeutic services: a systematic review
dc.typeThesis / Dissertation
dc.type.qualificationlevelMasters
dc.type.qualificationlevelMSc
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