3. Folic Acid & Folate
Folic Acid: water
soluble B vitamin in
supplements and
fortified foods
Folate: occurs
naturally in
many foods
Image taken from: http://www.bostonutd-mad.co.uk/is-folate-
important-for-your-sex-life/
4. image taken from :
http://www.gofolic.org/wh
ats-the-folic/folate-your-
diet/
Some countries
require grain
and cereal
products to be
fortified with
folic acid
Fortifying foods with Folic Acid
5. Folic Acid and Pregnancy
Image taken from:
https://www.google.com/search?q=folic+acid+and+pregnancy&espv=2&biw=1012&
bih=469&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=1ffrVLnwNcflsASO0IKgCA&ved=0CAg
Q_AUoAw#imgdii=_&imgrc=JifC5ap5F_5YRM%253A%3BfCVSZ6eCfCX05M%3Bht
tp%253A%252F%252Fwww.knowabouthealth.com%252Fwp-
content%252Fuploads%252F2010%252F12%252Fspot-pic-birth-
defects.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.knowabouthealth.com%252Fwant-
smarter-kids-take-iron-folic-acid-during-
pregnancy%252F7270%252F%3B438%3B245
Folic Acid
deficiencies
during
pregnancy
can result in
neural tube
defects which
can have
horrible
effects on
babies
7. Research
Image taken from pdf
file: Heseker, H. (2011).
Folic acid and other
potential measures in
the prevention of neural
tube defects. Annals of
Nutrition and
Metabolism, 59(1), 41.
8. Info taken from : Scholl,
T. O., Hediger, M. L.,
Schall, J. I., Khoo, C. S.,
& Fischer, R. L. (1996).
Dietary and serum
folate: their influence on
the outcome of
pregnancy. The
American journal of
clinical nutrition, 63(4),
520-525.
0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
1
1.2
1.4
1.6
1.8
<240 mcg/d 241-400 mcg/d 401-800+ mcg/d
A
O
R
s
f
o
r
p
r
e
t
e
r
m
d
e
l
i
v
e
r
y
Total Folate Intake (micrograms/day)
Adjusted Odds Ratio (AORs) for preterm delivery
and total folate intake AOR
Adjusted Odds Ratio (AORs)
for preterm delivery and total
folate intake AOR
9. Conclusion
Folic Acid can prevent:
Spina bifida (spine does not form)
Anencephaly (brain and skull do not form)
Preterm delivery
Low birth weight
Miscarriage
more
10. Works Cited
Laurence, K. M., James, N., Miller, M. H., Tennant, G. B., &
Campbell, H. (1981). Double-blind randomised controlled
trial of folate treatment before conception to prevent
recurrence of neural-tube defects. BMJ, 282(6275), 1509-
1511.
Scholl, T. O., Hediger, M. L., Schall, J. I., Khoo, C. S., &
Fischer, R. L. (1996). Dietary and serum folate: their
influence on the outcome of pregnancy. The American
journal of clinical nutrition, 63(4), 520-525.
Heseker, H. (2011). Folic acid and other potential measures
in the prevention of neural tube defects. Annals of Nutrition
and Metabolism, 59(1), 41.
Editor's Notes
My presentation is about the relationship between Folic Acid and Neural Tube defects and how exactly they are related to each other.
In this presentation, we will be covering the main topic of why folic acid is so important during pregnancy. We will start with identifying folic acid and where you can find it. Then move on to how folic acid is related to pregnancy and why it is so important to be taking supplements during pregnancy. And finally, we will conclude with more things folic acid can prevent and make sure everyone understands why folic acid is so important to the health not just of a baby, but to the health of everyone.
“Folic Acid” is a water soluble B vitamin that is essential for humans to live. “Folic Acid” is the term used to describe the vitamin in supplements and fortified foods. “Folate” is the term used do describe the vitamin that occurs naturally in many of the foods we consume on a daily basis. You can find folate naturally in many foods, especially dark green leafy vegetables such as spinach, asparagus, and brussel sprouts. Folate can also be found in smaller amounts in eggs, meat, poultry, dairy products, fruits, nuts, beans, etc. (Scholl, 1996).
However, trying to reach the recommended daily intake of folate from diet alone is tough. This is why many countries including the U.S. have laws on mandatory and voluntary folic acid fortification. The most common fortification is of grain products like breads, flour, and cornmeal or cereal products. As you can see, many cereals are fortified with folic acid.
One of the main reasons for the requirement of folic acid fortification is to prevent neural tube defects and other pregnancy complications. “Neural tube defects (NTD) are common congenital malformations leading to severe disabilities or even death” (Heseker, 2011). Folate deficiencies during pregnancy can have severe negative effects on the baby. In one of the most common neural tube defects, Spina Bifida, the baby’s spinal cord does not develop properly and the baby is in a wheelchair their whole life.
As you can see from the graph, adolescent males and females between the ages of 14 to over 19 years require the highest amount of folate according the Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) set by the Food and Nutrition Board. Pregnant females require an extra 200 micrograms of folate to prevent birth defects in their children. And lactating women require an extra 100 micrograms to prevent birth defects.
Governments would not make it a requirement to fortify foods with folate if there was not substantial evidence behind it proving that Folate really is an essential vitamin and it really does increase the risk of birth defects. In the picture above, you can see that after either adding +400(+800) micrograms of folate to diets, after folic acid fortification of foods, after suggestion of folate multivitamin, and even after just the recommendation of folate use, birth defects have declined drastically in many countries.
As you can see from the table above, the more micrograms per day of folate a female consumes, the lower the odds are for her to have a preterm birth delivery. Folic acid can prevent much more than just preterm birth delivery though.
Many birth defects can be prevented if folic acid is supplemented during pregnancy. These include spina bifida, anencephaly, preterm delivery, low birth weight, miscarriage, and many more. So everyone, especially pregnant or lactating women need to make sure they are meeting their daily requirements for folate. Even you are not pregnant, folate is still an essential vitamin and we need it to survive. So everyone eat their dark green leafy vegetables and stay healthy!