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Medical Minute Prevent birth defects with folic acid Many women have heard that folic acid is a key part of a healthy pregnancy but may wonder what makes it so important and how it leads to healthier babies. Folic acid is a central component in fighting certain birth defects, and the number of babies born with these defects could be drastically reduced if more child-bearing-age women increased their intake.
Folic acid is an essential B vitamin necessary for proper cell growth and vital to the development of a baby's neural tube and central nervous system. The neural tube — the part of a growing fetus that will become the brain and spinal cord — begins to develop very early in pregnancy, usually before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. Each year, roughly 2,500 children in the United States are born with defects of the neural tube, which can cause severe mental and physical disability or death. Women with folic acid deficiency before pregnancy or during its early stages are at high risk for having a baby with neural tube defects. Spina bifida, the most common form of neural tube defect, occurs when the bones of the spine do not completely form around the spinal cord. Anencephaly, another defect, is a fatal condition in which an infant is born missing parts of the brain. However, getting enough folic acid can lead to a 70 percent reduction in these and other defects. Research suggests that folic acid supplementation can also help prevent other types of birth defects, including cleft lip and palate. Folic acid is most effective when it is abundant in a woman's body before she gets pregnant and during the first three months of pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that women of childbearing age consume 400 micrograms of folic acid a day. This is important even if you are not planning on having a baby because 49 percent of pregnancies in the United States are unintended. Natural sources of folic acid include leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits, and beans. You can also find folic acid added to grain products, such as enriched breads, cereals, flours, pastas and rice. Because it can be very difficult to meet the daily requirement through diet alone, ACOG recommends that all women take a multivitamin to ensure that they are getting the right amount of folic acid. If you have had a child with a neural tube defect or certain other birth defects, you are more likely to have another child with these problems. Therefore, ACOG recommends that women with a heightened risk take 4 milligrams of folic acid per day. You need to get a prescription for this dosage of folic acid. If you tried to take this large amount using regular multivitamins, you might be ingesting harmful quantities of other vitamins and minerals. For more information on folic acid and birth defect prevention, check ACOG's Patient Education Pamphlet "Birth Defects," available in English and Spanish at www.acog.org/publications/patient_education. E-mail
comments about this story Posted: January 17, 2008
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