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1. folic
Lower socioeconomic/educational level
Race/ethnicity
Geography
Exposure to high temperatures in pregnancy

2. Folic acid is the synthetic form of a water soluble
B vitamin that is needed to:
• Make new cells/cell division
• Make normal-shaped red blood cells
• Help prevent anemia
• Help prevent birth defects
• Help prevent heart disease, stroke and certain
cancers.

4. Take a multi-vitamin with 400 mcg. of synthetic folic acid
every day
• “All women of childbearing age in the United States
• who are capable of becoming pregnant
• should consume 400 mcg. of folic acid per day
• for the purpose of reducing their risk
• of having a pregnancy affected
• with a Neural Tube Defect.
• Women who have had prior NTD-affected pregnancy
• are at risk of having a subsequent affected pregnancy.”

5. • Spina Bifida – 60%
• Anencephaly – 30%
• Encephalocele – 10%
Neural tube defects (NTDs) are the second
most common cause of infant mortality.
NTDs occur in 1 out of every 2,000 babies.

6. • Defect of the skull – smaller defect than
anencephaly
• Protrusion of brain or skin-covered brain
• Rarer than the other types of NTDs
• Overall mortality rate about 29%

7. • Neural tube fails to close properly:
• Occurs by 28 gestational days
• Associated problems:
• Hydrocephalus
• Clubfoot
• Vertebral anomalies
• Renal anomalies
• Requires surgery 24-48 hours after birth

8. • Physical Costs: Possible paralysis
(the leading cause of childhood paralysis),
bowel and bladder control problems,
learning disabilities, hydrocephalus,
surgical procedures, latex allergies,
increased health problems with age

9. • U.S. Public Health Service recommendation:
• “All women of childbearing age capable of
becoming pregnant should consume 400
micrograms (or 0.4 milligrams) of folic acid
daily.”

10. • U.S. Public Health Service recommendation:
• “All women of childbearing age capable of
becoming pregnant should consume 400
micrograms (or 0.4 milligrams) of folic acid
daily.”

11. • All women of childbearing age should receive
400 micrograms (0.4 mg) of folic acid daily.
• Women who have had a previous child with
NTD should receive 4000 micrograms (4 mg)
of folic acid daily.

12. • The survey highlights the following characteristics of
• women in the survey who were less likely to take a
daily
• folic acid supplement.
• Women aged 18-24 (37.1%)
• Annual income less than $15,000 (27.1%)
• Less than a High School diploma (19.2%)
• High School diploma (39.1%)

13. Reasons for Taking Folic Acid