Richard Worthington Smithells (12 July 1924 – 13 June 2002) was a British paediatrician and Emeritus professor of paediatrics at the University of Leeds.

[1] Smithells was most notable for research into neural tube defects, congenital abnormality registers, genetic counselling, and rubella in pregnancy and for later suggesting direct examination of the foetus by photography using ultrasonography.

[1] Early in his career, Smithells recognized the effects of poor nutrition in pregnant women and how it led to birth defects with studies taking many years.

Indeed his most notable research in his career, was the establishing link between folic acid deficiency and neural tube defects.

It wasn't until 1991 that the Medical Research Council ratified his decision by recommending that pregnant women's diets should contain sufficient folic acid.