Links

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Virginia Department of Health

• Bright Futures Virginia
• Children With Special Health Care Needs Program
• Healthy Start Initiative
• Regional Perinatal Councils
• Resource Mothers
• School Health Program
• Virginia Genetics Program
• Women and Infant’s Health, Division of
• Women, Infants, and Children Program (WIC)

Folic Acid Recommendations

• Institute of Medicine: Recommendation
  Background: In 1998, the Food and Nutrition Board of the National Academy of Sciences Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended that to reduce their risk for an NTD-affected pregnancy, women capable of becoming pregnant should take 400 micrograms of synthetic folic acid daily, from fortified foods or supplements or a combination of the two, in addition to consuming food folate from a varied diet.
• U.S. Public Health Service: Recommendation
  Background: In September 1992, the U.S. Public Health Service recommended that all women of childbearing age consume 400 micrograms (ug) of folic acid daily to reduce their risk of having a pregnancy affected with spina bifida or other neural tube defects. 

Folic Acid Fortification

• Food and Drug Administration
  Background: In 1998, the Food and Drug Administration began requiring the fortification of enriched cereal grain products with folic acid at the level of 140 µg/100 grams of grain (fortification was optional during March 1996--December 1997). This level of fortification was chosen to assist women of reproductive age in increasing their folic acid consumption by an average of 100 µg of folic acid daily.

Folic Acid - Related Publications

• Current Trends Economic Burden of Spina Bifida -- United States, 1980-1990.
  CDC MMWR, April 21, 1989 / 38(15);264-267
• CDC. Effectiveness in disease and injury prevention: use of folic acid for prevention of spina bifida and other neural tube defects, 1983--1991.
  CDC. MMWR, August 02, 1991 / 40(30);513-516
• Spina Bifida Incidence at Birth -- United States, 1983-1990.
  CDC MMWR, July 10, 1992 / 41(27);497-500.
• Recommendations for the Use of Folic Acid to Reduce the Number of Cases of Spina Bifida and Other Neural Tube Defects.
  CDC MMWR, September 11, 1992 / 41(RR-14);001
• Surveillance for Anencephaly and Spina Bifida and the Impact of Prenatal Diagnosis---United States, 1985--1994.
  CDC MMWR, August 25, 1995 / 44(No. SS-4).
• Knowledge and Use of Folic Acid by Women of Childbearing Age -- United States, 1995
  CDC MMWR, September 29, 1995 / 44(38);716-8
• Prevalence of Spina Bifida at Birth -- United States, 1983-1990: a Comparison of Two Surveillance Systems
  CDC MMWR April 19, 1996 / 45(SS-2);15-26.
• Folic Acid Campaign and Evaluation -- Southwestern Virginia, 1997-1999.
  CDC MMWR Oct 15, 1999 / 48(40);914-917
• Are Women with Recent Live Births Aware of the Benefits of Folic Acid?  
  CDC MMWR May 11, 2001 / 50(RR06);I
• Folic Acid and Prevention of Spina Bifida and Anencephaly: 10 Years After the U.S. Public Health Service Recommendation
  CDC MMWR, September 13, 2002 / 51(RR13);1-3.
• Spina Bifida and Anencephaly Prevalence --- United States, 1991--2001.
  CDC MMWR, September 13, 2002 / 51(RR13);9-11
• Spina Bifida and Anencephaly Before and After Folic Acid Mandate --- United States, 1995--1996 and 1999--2000  
  CDC MMWR, May 7, 2004 / 53(17);362-365.
• Use of Vitamins Containing Folic Acid Among Women of Childbearing Age --- United States, 2004  .
  CDC MMWR, September 17, 2004 / 53(36);847-850.
• Use of Dietary Supplements Containing Folic Acid Among Women of Childbearing Age --- United States, 2005  .
  CDC MMWR, September 30, 2005 / 54(38);955-958
• Recommendations to Improve Preconception Health and Health Care --- United States A Report of the CDC/ATSDR Preconception Care Work Group and the Select Panel on Preconception Care
  CDC MMWR, April 21, 2006 / 55(RR06);1-23

National Resources and Materials

• American Dietetic Association
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Folic Acid
• March of Dimes: Take Folic Acid
• National Alliance for Hispanic Health: Folic Acid Fact Sheet
• National Council on Folic Acid
• Spina Bifida Association

Disclaimer

Links to organizations found at this site are provided solely as a service to our users. These links do not constitute an endorsement of these organizations or their programs by the Virginia Department of Health, and none should be inferred. The Virginia Department of Health is not responsible for the content of the individual organization web pages found at these links.

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Folic acid is a B vitamin that prevents certain birth defects and may reduce your risk for heart disease and certain cancers.

Make sure you get enough folic acid every day through a multivitamin or folic acid pill and eat healthy.

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