Did you know that in the United States, there are 4,000 neural tube defect-affected pregnancies each year. Neural Tube Defects, or NTDs, are disorders of the development of the brain and spinal cord in babies during pregnancy. The most common NTD is spina bifida, or opening of the spine. The most serious NTD is anencephaly, which failure of the brain to develop.
Up to 70 percent of NTDs can be prevented if all women who can become pregnant are taking 0.4 mg/day of folic acid at least one month prior to conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Folic acid is a B vitamin that is used by the body to manufacture DNA. DNA is required for rapid cell division and organ/tissue formation in the developing baby. Folic acid can only help prevent NTDs during the first weeks of pregnancy, usually before a woman even knows she's pregnant. In fact, since 50 percent of pregnancies are unplanned, all women who are sexually active and of child-bearing age should take folic acid every day, even between pregnancies. Unfortunately, two-thirds of women in the United States report consuming inadequate levels of folic acid.
There are three ways women can get enough folic acid:
1. Take a vitamin supplement containing 0.4 mg folic acid daily.
2. Eat a fortified breakfast cereal daily which contains 100% of the recommended daily amount of
folic acid which most of the cereals that are sold do have this amount.
3. Eat an abundance of other folic acid-rich foods in your diet including enriched bread, rice, pasta
and other grain products; orange juice; green vegetables; and legumes such as navy beans, kidney
beans, lentils and garbanzo beans. A large glass of orange juice and a bowl of fortified cereal will
provide 50-100% of the recommended daily amount of folic acid.
A woman who has had a prior NTD-affected pregnancy is at the highest risk for recurrence and should see a physician before planning another pregnancy. Her physicians will prescribe a higher dosage of folic acid.
Also at higher risk are women who have maternal insulin-dependent diabetes; use anti-seizure medication; have diagnosed obesity; were exposed to high temperatures in early pregnancy (i.e., prolonged high fevers and hot-tub use); are white or Hispanic; and are poor.
Other potential health benefits of folic acid intake of at least 0.4 mg/day include reducing risks related to heart disease, stroke and some kinds of cancer. Women should keep their folic acid intake to less than 1 mg per day, unless under the supervision of a healthcare provider. Too much of a good thing...Is not always a good thing!
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