January 25, 2005

In an effort to reduce birth defects, the Michigan Department of Community Health is joining forces with the National Council on Folic Acid (NCFA) to urge women to consume the recommended amounts of folic acid. This endeavor - National Folic Acid Awareness Week - will be held January 24 to 30.

“It is important for all women of childbearing age to realize that folic acid is an essential nutrient not only for pregnant women but for all women that may become pregnant, as it is crucial for correct cell growth and development during pregnancy,” said Dr. Kimberlydawn Wisdom, Michigan Surgeon General. “A diet rich in folic acid is vital because serious and devastating birth defects can occur days after conception, before most women even know they are pregnant.”

Folic Acid Awareness Week is part of January’s National Birth Defects Prevention month. The campaign: “Folic Acid: You Don’t Know What You’re Missing!” will focus on nutrition and overall health surrounding folic acid.

Wisdom is urging Michigan women of childbearing age to get enough folic acid every day by taking a multivitamin and eating fortified grains as part of a healthy diet. “A diet that is geared toward low carbohydrates can be dangerous. Though a multivitamin is the best way to ensure that you are getting enough folic acid, having bread, cereal and pasta as part of your diet is also important,” Wisdom said.

Emerging research indicates that folic acid may lower the risk of birth defects such as: cleft lip, cleft palate, certain heart defects and most prevalently, neural tube defects. Each year, approximately 80 Michigan babies are born with neural tube defects as a result of a lack of folic acid. Women can prevent neural tube defects by up to 70 percent by simply getting enough folic acid every day.

Although folic acid is extremely important for pregnant women, it is also significant for the general population as it may reduce the risk of serious chronic diseases such as: cardiovascular disease, colon, cervical and breast cancer and Alzheimer’s disease.

For more information about National Folic Acid Awareness Week, folic acid, or birth defects, visit www.folicacidinfo.org and www.migeneticsconnection.org .