FOLIC ACID
You can help protect your baby against spina bifida if you act before you get pregnant. Research shows that a B vitamin called folic acid can greatly reduce the chance of a baby being born with neural tube defects. It helps to make sure that the spine develops properly. Medical studies have shown that women who increase their intake of folic acid at the time their baby's spine is forming reduce the risk of having a baby with these conditions. The simplest way to make sure you get enough folic acid to benefit your baby is to take a folic acid supplement every day. They are easy to find in pharmacies, health food shops and most supermarkets and cost around one pound for one month's supply.
In the UK ASBAH is actively campaigning the UK Food standards Agency (FSA), to introduce the compulsory addition of folic acid into UK flour products to prevent up to 1,000 terminations of spina bifida affected pregnancies each year. It is now more than a decade since the UK’s Medical Research Council completed a UK funded, world renowned study proving the lack of folic acid causes spina bifida. Many other countries have now followed the advice of COMA, the UK’s Committee on Medical Aspects of Nutrition, and fortified flour.
For example evidence is now available from the United States, Canada, Chile and other countries, on the benefits to the population of flour fortification with folic acid, and the dramatic reduction of neural tube defects. A recent study published in the international journal Birth Defects Research shows the South African government's food fortification programme has led to a 40% decline in spina bifida. The study shows a significant decline in the prevalence of Neural Tube Defects following Folic Acid fortification in South Africa. Before the food fortification programme began, an estimated 970 babies were born each year with Spina Bifida. The addition of Folic Acid to staple foods saw that figure drop to about 570. Mandatory fortification of maize and wheat flour has been the largest contributor to the decline in Spina Bifida.
And there is overwhelming evidence that the folic acid vitamin also prevents a large number of deaths from heart disease and stroke.
UK ASBAH is calling for the immediate implementation of COMA’s recommendations. It is urging the FSA to take an interest in this issue. For more information click on these links:
Folic Acid Information
Why Do I Need Folic Acid? Your questions answered.
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Updated 01 Oct 2009 06:47:31 GMT