Feature Quiz: Folic Acid

Question 1: How much folic acid should women consume to help prevent birth defects?

Answer: 400 micrograms (mcg) each day

If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and during pregnancy, it can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine.

Question 2: Is it okay for a woman to wait until she’s pregnant to make sure she is getting enough folic acid?

Answer: No

Birth defects of the brain and spine (anencephaly and spina bifida) happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman finds out she’s pregnant. By the time she realizes she’s pregnant, it might be too late to prevent those birth defects. Also, half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned.

These are two reasons why it is important for all women who can get pregnant to be sure to get 400 mcg of folic acid every day, even if they aren’t planning a pregnancy any time soon.

Question 3: If a woman has already had a pregnancy affected by anencephaly or spina bifida, should she take extra folic acid?

Answer: Yes

A woman who had one pregnancy affected by a birth defect of the brain or spine might have another. She should talk to her doctor about taking 4,000 micrograms (4.0 milligrams) of folic acid each day at least one month before getting pregnant and during the first few months of being pregnant. This is ten times the amount most people take.

Her doctor will give her a prescription for extra folic acid. She should not take more than one multivitamineach day because she might get too much of the other vitamins and minerals. Taking more than one multivitamin each day over time could be harmful to her and her baby.

Question 4: If a woman doesn’t like swallowing pills, what other options does she have for getting enough folic acid every day?

Answer: These days, multivitamins with folic acid come in chewable chocolate or fruit flavors, liquids, and large oval or smaller round pills.

A single serving of many breakfast cereals also has the amount of folic acid that a woman needs each day. Check the label! Look for cereals that have 100% daily value (DV) of folic acid in a serving, which is 400 micrograms (mcg).

Question 5: How many pregnancies are affected by neural tube defects (spina bifida and anencephaly) every year in the U.S.?

Answer: About 3,000

Approximately 3,000 pregnancies are affected by neural tube defects every year in the U.S., and Hispanic women have a higher rate of neural tube defect-affected pregnancies than non-Hispanic women.

Many, but not all, of these birth defects could be prevented if women consumed 400 mcg of folic acid daily, before and during pregnancy.

Find out more, visit:

www.cdc.gov/folicacid