The health issue for this month will be the importance of taking folic acid. I am sure many of you have heard from either your OB-GYN or through television commercials about the benefits of taking a multivitamin that contains folic acid to prevent birth defects in a fetus. What many women may not realize is how truly critical it is that they take folic acid even BEFORE they think about getting pregnant. Why? Simply because the current percentage of unplanned pregnancies is 50%! Which means half of the women in the U.S. are getting pregnant and not expecting it. Which also means that they may not be taking the necessary precautions to ensure a healthy pregnancy and birth outcomes, like taking folic acid. Brain development in a fetus begins within the first few weeks of conception. Many women aren’t even aware they are pregnant during this time. This is why is so important that if you are capable of having children (i.e in your childbearing years), that you are taking folic acid regularly. This type of vitamin can prevent neural tube defects and spinal defects in the fetus. Although scientists are not sure how it prevents birth defects, but folic acid is needed for making the cells that will form a baby’s brain, spine, organs, skin, and bones. Here are a few other things to know about folic acid:

• Women who are able to become pregnant should take 400 micrograms of folic acid each day.
• Folic acid is an important B vitamin.
• Pregnant women need 600 micrograms daily.
• Breast-feeding women need 500 micrograms daily.
• The U.S. National Institutes of Health indicates that folic acid may also benefit men and women of any age. Some studies show that it may help prevent heart disease, stroke, some cancers and Alzheimer’s disease.

While you can get the vitamins you need from foods that contain folate, like spinach, an actual multivitamin with folic acid is best. Be proactive about your health and take action steps that can prevent poor health outcomes. Take your folic acid! 

Visit the CDC or the Spina Bifida Association for more information on folic acid.