Only 11% take folic acid before pregnancy

A new survey funded by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that only 11% of US women of child-bearing age know that folic  acid should be consumed prior to pregnancy. Nearly 40% of women aged 18  to 45 take a daily multivitamin supplement containing folic acid.  However, the rate drops to 27% among those aged 18 to 24 years old.

Daily consumption of the B vitamin folic acid beginning before pregnancy  is crucial as birth defects of the brain and spine known as neural tube  defects, such as spina bifida, can occur in the early weeks following  conception, often before a woman knows she is pregnant.

The authors urge all women of child-bearing age to consume 400mcg of  folic acid daily, beginning before pregnancy and continuing into the  early months. Bread, crackers, bagels, pasta, pretzels and tortillas  made from fortified, enriched white flour are popular and important  sources of the substance. In fact, enriched grain products have been  fortified with twice the amount of folic acid found in whole grain  products. Since the Food and Drug Administration issued guidance on  folic acid in 1998, NTDs have declined by 26%.