Folic Acid Fortification Saves 1,300 Babies Per Year From Brain And Spinal Birth Defects

Fortifying food with folic acid saves about 1,300 babies each year from serious birth defects of the brain and spine known as neural tube defects (NTDs), according to new data published by the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.The number of babies born in the United States with these conditions has declined by 35 percent since 1998. About 3,000 pregnancies in the U.S. still are affected by neural tube defects annually. The March of Dimes says that even with folic acid-fortified grain products, many women still may not be getting enough folic acid so they recommend that all women take vitamins containing folic acid, though only about one-third of women do. read more

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