Woman, 19-50
years of age, not currently pregnant…
|
The Institute of
Medicine recommends that all women, 19-50 years of age, not currently pregnant, consume
400 mcg of folate per day. Because many women do not achieve the RDA through their diets,
the U.S. Public Health Service and the March of Dimes recommend that all women of
reproductive age consume 400 mcg of folic acid per day in a multivitamin in addition to
eating a healthy diet. The American Academy of Pediatrics and others concur with this
recommendation.
|
Despite the fact
that women have been the primary focus of interventions to promote folic acid intake, a
2002 Gallup poll of U.S. women ages 18-45 indicated that only 20% knew that folic
acid can prevent birth defects.[43] The same survey reported that only
33% of non-pregnant women reported taking a multivitamin containing folic acid daily.[44]
| These low rates of folic acid intake and
awareness are compounded by the fact that 50% of all pregnancies in women ages 18-45
are unplanned.[45] |
Neural
tube defects happen between the 17th and 30th day after
conception. Other birth defects also occur early in pregnancy. However,
most women do not know they are pregnant until after they miss their first period and the neural
tube has already formed.
While the benefits of folic acid
have been best-documented in helping to prevent NTDs, some studies provide evidence that
low folic acid levels may be associated with increased risk of developing cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer.
|
