Autoantibodies against Folate Receptors in Women with a Pregnancy Complicated by a Neural-Tube Defect

In the absence of clinical folate deficiency, periconceptional supplementation with folic acid reduces a woman's risk of having an infant with a neural-tube defect. Since antiserum to folate receptors induces embryo resorption and malformations in rats, we hypothesized that autoantibodies against folate receptors in women may be associated with pregnancy complicated by a neural-tube defect.Serum from 12 women who were or had been pregnant with a...