Folic acid and birth defect prevention

• Illustrations
• Alternative names

• Information

Alternative names    Return to top

Information    Return to top

Question:

Does folic acid use help prevent birth defects?

Answer:

There is good evidence that the risk of certain birth defects (spina bifida and anencephaly) are reduced by taking folic acid 400 micrograms daily from 1 month before conception through the first trimester of pregnancy. Therefore, if you would like to become pregnant in the near future, you should take a multivitamin with this amount of folic acid.