RT Journal
A1 Park KK, Murase JE
T1 NArrowband uv-b phototherapy during pregnancy and folic acid depletion
JF Archives of Dermatology
JO Archives of Dermatology
YR 2012
FD January 1
VO 148
IS 1
SP 132
OP 133
DO 10.1001/archdermatol.2011.1614
UL http://dx.doi.org/10.1001/archdermatol.2011.1614
AB 
Folic acid deficiency is associated with the development of neural tube defects, which complicate 1 in every 1000 pregnancies and can be detected early in the second trimester. There is new evidence in patients with psoriasis that high cumulative NB-UV-B doses cause a proportionate decrease in serum folic acid levels ( ≥118.16 J/cm2 in 36 treatments).2 Previous studies found insignificant decreases in serum folic acid; however, these studies had smaller numbers of treatments and had lower total cumulative doses (6.9 J/cm2 in 9-15 sessions in 19 patients; 2.3 J/cm2 in 18-20 treatments in 35 patients).2 Furthermore, a more recent pilot study found that patients' folic acid levels decreased after broadband UV-B therapy (110-220 mJ/cm2 in 7-22 treatments).3 In addition, there was a case report in Buenos Aires of 3 unrelated patients who had sunbed exposure in early pregnancy; their infants all developed neural tube defects, which may have resulted from folic acid depletion.4