Folic Acid

Every Body Needs It

The Folic Acid Community Campaign is a public education campaign designed to raise awareness of folic acid and it's role in preventing birth defects of the brain and spine. The campaign was initiated in 2003.

What is Folic Acid?

Folic acid is a B vitamin that can reduce a woman's chance of having a baby with birth defects of the brain and spine (called neural tube defects or NTDs). Folic acid can only work to prevent NTDs if taken before pregnancy or within the first few weeks of a pregnancy. Yet in a recent national survey conducted by the March of Dimes, only 21% of women knew folic acid could prevent birth defects and just 10% knew it should be taken before pregnancy.

Folic acid provides many benefits beyond the prevention of birth defects. Not only is it necessary before and throughout pregnancy to support the rapid cell growth that occurs, folic acid is also necessary for overall good health of men, women and children. In addition, folic acid may reduce your risk of heart disease, stroke, colon cancer and cervical cancer, and other birth defects such as cleft lip and palate.

For more information

Fetal Infant Mortality Review Program
597 Center Avenue, Suite 365
Martinez, CA 94553
925-313-6254
925-313-6708 fax

Content provided by the Family, Maternal & Child Health (FMCH) Programs of Contra Costa Public Health Division. For more information, call 925-313-6254.