HomeWho We AreServicesPortfolioMedia CenterCareer Opportunities
 

The Right Breakfast May Help Prevent Birth Defects

Angela J. Horn, Summer Student Intern 2000
and
Doctor of Pharmacy Candidate 2002
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Birth defects are a main cause of infant death and childhood disability in North Carolina. About 4179 babies are born in North Carolina with birth defects each year. Eating a cereal fortified with the right amount of folic acid may help prevent birth defects. Folic acid is a B vitamin that is needed for our bodies to build tissues and organs. It is very difficult to get enough folic acid. In fact, two thirds of women in the United States do not get enough folic acid. Every woman who is planning on becoming pregnant will want to do everything she can to make sure she has a healthy baby.

Brain and spinal cord birth defects start to happen very early in pregnancy. Four to six weeks after a woman becomes pregnant, the neural tube forms in the growing baby and then closes. The baby's spinal cord, spine, brain, and skull come from the neural tube.

The two most common neural tube defects are anencephaly and spina bifida. With anencephaly the brain either grows a little or is completely missing. Babies with anencephaly cannot live. Spina bifida happens when the spinal cord and backbone do not form properly. This can cause the baby's legs to be paralyzed, as well as water on the brain, loss of bowel and bladder control, and learning disabilities. Besides anencephaly and spina bifida, folic acid may also lower the chance of other birth defects such as cleft lip and palate and some congenital heart defects. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention believes that taking folic acid could prevent 50 to 70% of these birth defects.

How can you get enough folic acid?
Getting 400 mcg (micrograms), which is the same as 0.4 mg (milligrams) of folic acid each day may help prevent the chance of having a baby with birth defects. Even if you are not planning on becoming pregnant, it is still important to get enough folic acid each day.

Read the label!
There are three ways to make sure you are getting enough folic acid in your diet.

  • Eat a fortified breakfast cereal that contains 400 mcg of folic acid per serving. Check the label. A few cereals (e.g., Total®, Product 19®, Multi-Grain Cheerios Plus®, and Smart Start®) provide this amount.
  • Take a multivitamin containing 400 mcg of folic acid each day. This may be one of the easiest ways to ensure that a woman is getting the right amount. Talk with your doctor or pharmacist about which multivitamins he or she recommends and how to take it correctly.
  • Eat foods fortified with folate (folate is another name for folic acid found naturally in foods) for example, "enriched" cereal, bread, rice, pasta, and other grain products) in addition to other foods like orange juice and dark-green leafy vegetables (spinach, broccoli, romaine lettuce), beans, citrus, and other fruits (kiwis, strawberries)

Too much folic acid?
It is recommended that women have no more than 1,000 mcg of folic acid each day. The reason is that very large amounts of folic acid may make it difficult for a doctor to find out if a woman does not have enough vitamin B12, a condition known as pernicious anemia.

Make it a habit!
Eating a healthy breakfast or taking a multivitamin may be the easiest ways to help prevent birth defects. Talk to your pharmacist about multivitamin supplements containing 400 micrograms of folic acid. Be sure to read the labels on food products and vitamin containers to make sure you are getting the recommended amount. Whatever you decide to do, make it a healthy habit!

© 2000 Consumer Health Information Corporation. All rights reserved.