More women need to know about folic acid's ability to prevent birth defects

Each year in Minnesota, more than 2,000 babies are born with birth defects. Many of those birth defects likely could have been prevented if the mother had taken enough folic acid.

Studies have shown that folic acid prevents up to 70 percent of some serious birth defects of the baby's brain or spine, such as spina bifida. Yet most women don't get enough of the B-vitamin, folic acid, to help protect babies from life-threatening birth defects like spina bifida. Most women simply do not know how important folic acid is for their bodies and for the health of their baby. They also do not know that for folic acid to work to prevent birth defects, a woman needs to take it every day, starting before becoming pregnant.

That’s why January 9-15, 2006, is National Folic Acid Awareness Week, a time when the Minnesota Department of Health (MDH) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are taking extra steps – such as reaching out to the media – to try to spread the word about folic acid.

Folic acid isn't just for women who might become pregnant. It's recommended for men and women of all ages. Folic acid might have other health benefits such as improving heart health and protecting against some cancers.

It's easy to get the recommended 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. One of the simplest ways is to take a vitamin that contains folic acid. Most multivitamins sold in the United States have the recommended amount of folic acid. Another option is to eat a bowl of breakfast cereal every day that has 100 percent of the daily value (DV) of folic acid per serving.

The department is currently in the process of implementing the Birth Defects Information System, which will gather critical information on birth defects in Minnesota. The primary goals of the system are to better understand birth defects so they may be prevented and to ensure that families with birth defects are connected to appropriate available public health services.