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| Photo Source: CDC. |
Here�s the issue. Women need to consume adequate amounts of folic acid prior to conception as well as during in the first two to three months of pregnancy, when these cells are working overtime to create a healthy baby. A deficiency of folic acid during this critical time period can increase the risk of neural tube defects, such as anencephaly and spina bifida, in the baby. In anencephaly, the brain doesn�t completely form so the baby is born not being able to move, hear, think, or function, and death will likely occur soon after birth. Babies born with spina bifida have a backbone and spinal cord that isn�t properly developed, which causes physical disabilities, such as the inability to walk.
Here�s the problem: 50 percent of the pregnancies in the United States are unplanned.
No. It�s not a typo.
By the time that a woman finds out that she is pregnant, the window of opportunity to consume enough folic acid to prevent these birth defects has passed. Because of this eye-opening pregnancy statistic, the U.S. Public Health Service (USPHS) recommended in 1992 that all women of childbearing age who are capable of becoming pregnant consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily to help prevent these birth defects. Leafy green veggies, citrus fruits, and beans are good sources of this B vitamin.
To further help women reach this targeted amount of folic acid in their diets daily, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) stepped in in 1998 and established manufacturing guidelines in that enriched all refined, cereal and grain products, such as bread, cereal, pasta, and corn grits with folic acid to automatically boost a woman�s consumption of this vitamin.
Here�s the new problem: In spite of all of these efforts, recent researchsuggests that many women are still falling short of this folic acid daily. The popularity of fad, low carbohydrate and gluten-free diets could be causing women to eliminate grains, an excellent source of folic acid in the diet. The other push to eat more whole grains (which are not automatically enriched with folic acid) rather than enriched grains (which are automatically enriched with folic acid), could also be feeding into this diet shortfall of folic acid among women.
Here�s the solution: A USPHS task force is now proposing that all women planning or capable of becoming pregnant take a daily supplementcontaining 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid daily. (Note: Women who have a personal or family history of neural tube defects, should consult with their health care providers regarding the appropriate dose of folic acid that should be consumed during this critical period.) The USPHS task force is currently accepting public comments on this issue before publishing a final public announcement.
Here�s the good news: A folic acid supplement, containing 400 micrograms can be purchased for as little as $0.02 a pill. While we await the final USPHS recommendation, all women should consult with their health care providers about this issue. If you want my 2 cents, I think this supplement investment make perfect sense to help protect future pregnancies.
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