What is folic acid?

• It is a synthetic vitamin from the family of the B vitamin that can be found in fortified foods and in supplemental vitamins.
• It is an essential vitamin for the proper growth and development of a baby.

What is folate?

• It is the natural form of folic acid that is found in fruits and vegetables.
• Folate can be found in orange juice and other citrus juices, green leafy vegetables such as broccoli, and beans.
• The difference between synthetic folic acid and natural folate is that synthetic folic acid can be completely absorbed, while natural folate is only partially absorbed by the body

Why is it important to take folic acid?

• Folic acid may decrease the risk of your unborn baby developing serious birth defects.
• Folic acid may reduce a woman’s risk of having a baby with a birth defect when consumed prior to conception and during the early weeks of pregnancy. During preconception, a woman should take 400 micrograms (mcg.) of synthetic folic acid daily. During pregnancy, the required amount of folic acid is included in your prenatal vitamins.
• Folic acid helps reduce the incidence of birth defects by 50 to 70 percent.
• If you have enough folic acid in your body before pregnancy, this vitamin can prevent birth defects in a baby’s brain or spine, also called neural tube defects.
• There is evidence that folic acid may prevent neural tube defects as well as other types of birth defects, including cleft palate, certain congenital heart defects, limb-reduction, and urinary tract defects.
• Some studies also suggest that an adequate intake of folic acid may help decrease the risk of adult diseases, including heart disease, stroke, and colon and cervical cancer.

What are neural tube defects?

• Neural tube defects are birth defects that affect the backbone and sometimes the spinal cord.
• Neural tube defects can occur very early in a baby’s development, within four weeks after conception. Early in pregnancy, the neural tube forms and closes to become the spinal cord and the brain. Neural tube defects occur when the neural tube does not close properly.
• Spina bifida and anencephaly are two common forms of neural tube defects.
• Spina bifida is a birth defect of the spine that can cause paralysis of the lower body and learning disabilities.
• Anencephaly is another type of birth defect that affects the brain and babies usually do not survive more than a few days after birth.

How much folic acid do I need to take?

• If you are planning to get pregnant you should take a vitamin containing 400 mcg. of folic acid every day.
• If you are pregnant, the prenatal vitamins prescribed by your health care provider contain the recommended daily dosage of folic acid.
• You should also eat a healthy diet that includes foods rich in folic acid such as fortified breakfast cereals, orange juice, and leafy green vegetables. Check the labels on your breakfast cereal. Some contain 100 % of the recommended daily dosage of folic acid.

  Remember: No one expects an unplanned pregnancy; but they happen every day. About half of all pregnancies are not planned. You should get enough folic acid every day if there is a chance you could get pregnant. By the time you confirm you are pregnant, your baby’s brain and spine are already formed. Neural tube defects occur before most women know they are pregnant, in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy.

How to take folic acid?

• An easy method of ensuring that you are getting 400 mcg. of folic acid per day is to take a vitamin with folic acid in it.
• Almost every multivitamin you can buy in a drugstore or supermarket contains the appropriate daily dosage of folic acid.
• If you get an upset stomach from vitamins, try taking them with meals or just before bed.
• Also you can replace the vitamin by taking pills made with only 400 mcg. of folic acid; which are smaller and easier to swallow.

  How do I get folic acid from food?

• Most of us get folic acid in our daily diet.
• Folic acid has been added to some foods such as enriched breads, pasta, rice and cereal.
• A well-balanced diet with fruits and vegetables is also very important.

  What else can I do to ensure a healthy baby?

• Think ahead. See your doctor or health care provider for a pre-pregnancy checkup.
• Adopt a healthy lifestyle before you become pregnant.

  How can my partner be involved?

• Your partner should also adopt a health lifestyle, including consuming a healthy diet.
• The better your partner’s nutrition is, the healthier his sperm will be.
• Your partner should also take a supplementary daily vitamin.

Additional Resources

National Alliance for Hispanic Health
La Línea Nacional Prenatal Hispana
1 (800) 504-7081
http://www.hispanichealth.org

National Alliance for Hispanic Health
Su Familia: The National Hispanic Family Health Helpline
1 (866) SU-FAMILIA or 1 (866) 783-2645
E -mail: SuFamilia@hispanichealth.org
http://www.hispanichealth.org

March of Dimes
1-800-925-1855
En español: http://www.nacersano.org
In English: http://www.modimes.org

Revised 5/2004

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