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Folic acid fortification continues to prevent neural tube defects

CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published a new study looking at how many serious birth defects of the brain and spine, called neural tube defects (NTDs), have been prevented each year since the U.S. Food and Drug Administration required that all enriched grain products be fortified with folic acid. Using data from birth defects tracking systems, researchers found that about 1,300 babies are born each year without an NTD who might otherwise have been affected. Folic acid fortification is an important way to help prevent NTDs. Unfortunately, even with folic acid fortification, not all women of reproductive age are getting the recommended amount of folic acid. This puts them at risk for a pregnancy affected by an NTD. Additional public health interventions targeting these women could help reduce the number of babies born each year with an NTD. We welcome you to visit here to read a summary of the key findings from this paper or read the article here.

Folic acid use among pregnant women who have had a past pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect, 1997-2009

CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report published a new study looking at folic acid use before pregnancy in women who have had a previous pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect (NTD). CDC researchers found that among a group of pregnant women who had a previous pregnancy affected by an NTD, women with another pregnancy affected by an NTD reported taking folic acid less often (35%) than those who had a baby without a birth defect (80%). This is important information for healthcare providers and health departments because many women who have had a pregnancy affected by an NTD and are planning a next pregnancy may not be following folic acid recommendations. You can learn more about the key findings from this paper here or read the article here.

What You Can Do

Spread the word! We encourage you to share these links with your colleagues and friends. Feel free to post them on your own home page as well. 

Follow @CDC_NCBDDD. We invite you to post your own messages about folic acid and birth defects, re-tweet, and follow @CDC_NCBDDD!

Tune in January 20th at 1PM EST to the live webcast of CDC’s Public Health Grand Rounds on birth defects: http://www.cdc.gov/cdcgrandrounds/

For more information about birth defects, please visit www.cdc.gov/birthdefects.

For more information about folic acid, visit www.cdc.gov/folicacid.  

CDC’s National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities is committed to identifying the causes of birth defects, finding opportunities to prevent them, and improving the health of those living with birth defects. On behalf of CDC, we thank you for your continued support and your promotion of CDC’s activities related to birth defects.