Folic acid, also known as folate and vitamin B9 is involved in several bodily functions including the synthesis of DNA and is therefore very important during growth. Initially in pregnant women, blood levels of folate decrease because of the rapid production of red blood cells. For this reason the recommended daily intake for pregnant women is 600mcg of folate per day, which is higher than the recommended daily intake for men and non-pregnant women. The Office of Dietary Supplements reports that the occurrence of certain birth defects is lower in offspring of women who consume folate supplements or have adequate dietary intake of folate the first month after conception.
Preventing Neural Defects
The most common birth defects associated with insufficient dietary intake of folate are neural tube defects including malformations in the brain, spine and skull. Since 1996 folate has been added to certain foods including breads, cereals, flours, and other grain products. An article in the "International Journal of Epidemiology" reports that folic acid supplementation and food fortification has significantly reduced the incidence of neural tube defects and associated neonatal mortalities.
Preventing Heart Defects
A review in the "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition" reports that approximately 1 percent of newborns have a heart defect accounting for more than one-third of infant deaths from birth defects. This review reports that studies have shown that multi-vitamin supplements that contain folate reduce the occurrence of congenital heart defects between 24 and 50 percent. This review also notes that because the risk of heart defects increased in infants born to women who also took drugs that reduce folate levels during pregnancy that folate was the active component of the multi-vitamin supplements.
Preventing Orofacial Defects
A study in the journal "Preventative Medicine" reports that children born to women who took folate supplements 4 weeks before until 8 weeks after conception had nearly a 50 percent reduction of cleft lip with or without cleft palate.
Preventing Premature Birth
Premature birth is the number one cause of infant mortality that is not associated with congenital defects. A review article in the journal "PLOS Medicine" reports that women who took folate supplements for at least one year before pregnancy decreased their risk of having a premature birth by between 50 and 70 percent. This review also reports that folate deficiency in pregnant women is linked to low birthweight and fetal growth retardation.
References
- Office of Dietary Supplements: Dietary Supplement Fact Sheet: Folate
- "International Journal of Epidemiology"; Folic Acid to Reduce Neonatal Mortality From Neural Tube Disorders; H. Blencowe et al.; April 2010
- "American Journal of Clinical Nutrition"; Folic Acid Supplementation and the Occurrence of Congenital Heart Defects, Orofacial Clefts, Multiple Births, and Miscarriage; Lynn Bailey and Robert Berry; May 2005
- "Preventative Medicine"; Periconceptional Folate Intake by Supplement and Food Reduces the Risk of Nonsyndromic Cleft Lip With or Without Cleft Palate; A. van Rooij et al.; October 2004
- "PLOS Medicine"; Preconceptional Folate Supplementation and the Risk of Spontaneous Preterm Birth: A Cohort Study; Radek Bukowski et al.; May 2009
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