The article presents current state of the problem of birth defects. Special attention is paid to the neural tube defects. Based on the study results, it is shown the role of folic acid deficiency and hyperhomocysteinemia in forming malformations of the central nervous system of the fetus. On the other hand, the article presents data оf the expediency to search a new pathogenetic mechanisms of development of this pathology, that will allow to find the individual differential approach to prevention of the neural tube defects.
