Chapter 2

An Ounce of Prevention 2000, 2005 The Curators of the University of Missouri

Also consider….

• Taking a Multi-Vitamin containing Folic Acid

An Ounce of Prevention 2000, 2005 The Curators of the University of Missouri

HOW MUCH FOLIC ACID SHOULD I TAKE?

The recommended amount of folic acid is 0.4 milligrams (or 400 micrograms). This amount is present in most multivitamins. These amounts can be purchased without a prescription and do not cause medical harm in young, healthy individuals.

An Ounce of Prevention 2000, 2005 The Curators of the University of Missouri

Good Sources of Folic Acid

U.S. DIETARY SOURCES OF FOLATE

Highest Contributorsorange juicewhite breaddried beans

eggsliver

super-fortified cereals

Richest Sources liver

super-fortified cerealscold cerealsasparagus

spinachinstant breakfast

bran/granola cerealsbroccoli

avocados

Adapted from Am J Clin Nutr, 1989, Subar et al.

An Ounce of Prevention 2000, 2005 The Curators of the University of Missouri

WHEN SHOULD A WOMAN TAKE FOLIC ACID?

All women of child-bearing capability should take folic acid. In order for folic acid to have a protective effect on the developing fetus, it must be in the woman’s system at the time of conception and during the first trimester. Since most pregnancies are unplanned and since many women do not know they are pregnant for 4-6 weeks, the window of opportunity to affect neural tube closure is missed if a woman begins taking folic acid when she learns she is pregnant.

NEURAL TUBE DEFECTS: Caused by a chromosome abnormality, a genetic syndrome,

or more commonly a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Neural tube

closure takes place by day 28 of pregnancy.An Ounce of Prevention 2000, 2005 The Curators of the University of Missouri

IMPORTANT!

There is a 50-90% reduction in neural tube defects in

mothers who get enough folic acid the first 28 days of

pregnancy!

An Ounce of Prevention 2000, 2005 The Curators of the University of Missouri

Reprinted by permission from The New England Journal of Medicine,

341[1999]:1509-1519.

Features of Neural-Tube Development and Neural-Tube Defects

An Ounce of Prevention 2000, 2005 The Curators of the University of Missouri