Folic Acid Quiz
How Much Do You Know About Folic Acid?
Try your hand at this quiz. Read each question. If you want to know more just
click on the HINT button.
Good Luck!
1. Folic acid is: (
Hint for Question 1)
a) a B vitamin b) a form of vitamin C c) a substitute for vitamin E
d) a mineral
2. Folic acid reduces the risk for: (
Hint for Question 2)
a) spina bifida b) anencephaly c) neural tube defects d) all of
the above
3. Women of childbearing age should consume:
(Hint for Question 3)
a) 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid everyday b) 200 micrograms (mcg) of
folic acid everyday c) 400 milligrams (mg) of folic acid everyday d)
0.4 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid everyday
4. All of the following are ways to be sure that you
are getting enough folic acid everyday EXCEPT: (
Hint for Question 4)
a) take a multivitamin with folic acid b) eat a bowl of cereal with
100% of the DV (Daily Value) of folic acid c) take a folic acid supplement
d) eat a cup of broccoli
5. Spina bifida and anencephaly: (
Hint for Question 5)
a) are neural tube defects b) are the most common preventable birth defects
c) result in varying degrees of damage to the spinal cord and nervous system
d) all of the above
6. About how many pregnancies are affected by spina
bifida and anencephaly each year in the U.S.? (Hint
for Question 6)
a) 100 b) 500 c) 2,000 d) 4,000
7. In order to help prevent neural tube defects,
folic acid must be taken: (Hint for Question 7)
a) after a woman discovers she is pregnant b) has her first prenatal visit
c) before and during the first few months of pregnancy d) during the third
trimester
8. While it's important to eat a healthy diet, the
EASIEST way to get the right amount of folic acid everyday is to: (
Hint for Question 8)
a) eat 2 cups of whole grains b) eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables
c) drink a quart of milk d) take 400 micrograms of synthetic folic acid
9. A woman should be taking folic acid if she:
(Hint for Question 9)
a) is planning a pregnancy b) is capable of becoming pregnant, even if she
is not planning a pregnancy c) thinks she might become pregnant sometime
in the future d) all of the above
10. Now that you are an expert on folic acid, you
should (Hint for Question 10)
a) make sure to take a multivitamin containing folic acid everyday b) eat
foods rich in folate, and foods fortified with synthetic folic acid c)
tell a friend about the importance of folic acid d) all of the above
HINTS
QUESTION 1. Folic acid is:
ANSWER " a) a B vitamin"
HINT: Folic acid is a B vitamin that helps cells grow and also helps to make
DNA and protein. It is very important in helping the embryo to develop because
it is essential for the rapid cell division needed to make tissues and organs
in the embryo and fetus.
Folate and folic acid are different terms for the same B vitamin. While these
two terms are often used interchangeably, there are some differences between
them. Folate is the B vitamin form found naturally in foods. Folic acid is not
found in natural food sources. Folic acid is the synthetic B vitamin form that
is used in vitamin supplements and added to fortified foods. Synthetic folic
acid is absorbed more easily than natural food folate.
Return to Top of page
QUESTION 2. Folic acid reduces
the risk for: ANSWER " d) a B vitamin"
HINT: Folic acid reduces the risk for spina bifida, and anencephaly, which are
the two most common neural tube defects (NTDs). When folic acid is in a
vitamin supplement, and is taken one month before conception and throughout
the first three months of pregnancy (trimester), it has been proven to reduce
the risk that a pregnancy will be affected by a neural tube defect by 50% to
70%. Folic acid is required for the production of DNA, which is necessary for
the rapid cell growth needed to make fetal tissues and organs early in
pregnancy. That is why it is important for a woman to have enough folic acid
in her body both before and during pregnancy.
Return to Top of page
QUESTION 3. Women of
childbearing age should consume: ANSWER "a) 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid
everyday"
HINT: Women of childbearing age should consume 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic
acid every day. In 1992, the U. S. Public Health Service (PHS) recommended
that all women of childbearing age consume 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) of
folic acid every day to reduce their risk of having an NTD-affected pregnancy.
For women who have already had a pregnancy affected by an NTD, the PHS
recommends talking with a doctor about taking a much larger amount of folic
acid (4000 micrograms [4 milligrams]), starting one month before conception
and continuing throughout the first three months of pregnancy. In 1998, the
Institute of Medicine (IOM) recommended that to reduce their risk for an
NTD-affected pregnancy, women capable of becoming pregnant should take 400
micrograms of synthetic folic acid daily, from fortified foods or supplements
or a combination of the two, in addition to consuming food folate from a
varied diet.
Return to Top of page
QUESTION 4. All of the following
are ways to be sure that you are getting enough folic acid everyday EXCEPT:
ANSWER "d) eat a cup of broccoli"
HINT: This question is tricky! Taking a multivitamin with folic acid, eating a
bowl of cereal with 100% of the DV of folic acid, and taking a folic acid
supplement, are all ways to be sure that you are getting enough folic acid
every day. This question is tricky because broccoli is a natural source of
food folate, however you would have to eat 5 cups of broccoli in order to meet
the daily requirement of 400 micrograms of folic acid. There are three ways
women can get enough folic acid to prevent spina bifida and anencephaly. They
can choose to:
1) Take a vitamin supplement (either multivitamin or folic acid supplement)
containing 400 micrograms of folic acid daily.
2) Eat a fortified breakfast cereal daily which contains 100% of the daily
value of folic acid (400 micrograms).
3) Increase consumption of foods fortified with folic acid (e.g., enriched
cereal, bread, rice, pasta, and other grain products) in addition to consuming
food folate from a varied diet (e.g., orange juice and green vegetables).
Return to Top of page
QUESTION 5. Spina bifida and
anencephaly: ANSWER "d) all of the above"
HINT: Spina bifida and anencephaly are neural tube defects, the most common
preventable birth defects, and result in different degrees of damage to the
spinal cord and nervous system. NTDs (neural tube defects) are birth defects
that occur very early in pregnancy. The defects develop between the 17th and
30th day after conception (four to six weeks after the first day of a woman's
last menstrual period), usually before a woman knows she is pregnant. During
this critical time of pregnancy, the proper formation and closure of the
neural tube, which later becomes the spinal cord, brain, and bone surrounding
the spinal cord and brain, normally takes place. A neural tube defect occurs
when the neural tube fails to close properly.
Anencephaly and spina bifida are the two most common NTDs. Anencephaly is a
fatal condition in which the upper end of the neural tube fails to close. In
these cases, the brain fails to develop completely or is entirely absent.
Pregnancies affected by anencephaly often result in miscarriages, and the
infants who are born alive die very soon after birth. Spina bifida occurs when
the lower end of the neural tube fails to close. As a result, the spinal cord
and back bones do not develop properly. Sometimes a sac of fluid protrudes
through an opening in the back, and often a portion of the spinal cord is
contained in this sac. Paralysis of the infant=s legs, loss of bowel and
bladder control, hydrocephalus (Awater on the brain@), and learning
disabilities are often associated with spina bifida. Eighty to 90% of infants
born with spina bifida survive. Despite varying degrees of disability, many
lead long, successful, and productive lives.
Return to Top of page
QUESTION: 6. About how many
pregnancies are affected by spina bifida and anencephaly each year in the
U.S.? ANSWER "d) 4,000"
HINT: Each year in the U. S. about 4,000 pregnancies are affected by a defect
of the spine (spina bifida) and or brain (anencephaly), also known as NTDs
(neural tube defects). There are approximately 60 million women of
childbearing age in the United States. Any woman who is capable of becoming
pregnant could have a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect. It is not
possible to predict which women will have a pregnancy affected by an NTD.
Ninety-five percent of women with NTD-affected pregnancies have no personal or
family history of NTDs.
Return to Top of page
QUESTION: 7. In order to help
prevent neural tube defects, folic acid must be taken: ANSWER "c) before and
during the first few months of pregnancy"
HINT: In order to help prevent neural tube defects, folic acid must be taken
before and during the first few months of pregnancy. Women need to get enough
folic acid every day throughout their reproductive years. To prevent neural
tube defects, a woman must take folic acid every day at least one month before
she conceives and continue taking it through the first trimester (three
months) of pregnancy. All women capable of becoming pregnant - not just those
planning a pregnancy - should consume enough folic acid every day, because
half of all the pregnancies in the United States are unplanned. Remember,
neural tube defects occur before many women know that they are pregnant.
Return to Top of page
QUESTION: 8. While it's
important to eat a healthy diet, the EASIEST way to get the right amount of
folic acid everyday is to: ANSWER " d) take 400 micrograms of synthetic folic
acid"
HINT:
While it's important to eat a healthy diet, the EASIEST way to get the right
amount of folic acid everyday is to take 400 micrograms of synthetic folic
acid. Taking a vitamin supplement containing folic acid is an easy way to get
enough folic acid. Almost all over-the-counter multivitamins contain 400
micrograms (0.4 milligram) of folic acid, the amount recommended to prevent
NTDs. The label on a multivitamin container will list a vitamin supplement's
contents. Recently, more stores are carrying supplements containing folic acid
alone. The cost of vitamins can vary considerably, but women can buy vitamins
containing folic acid for as little as 50 cents to $1.00 a month. On January
1, 1998, the U. S. Food and Drug Administration ordered that all enriched
cereal or grain products be fortified at a level of 140 micrograms (0.14
milligram) of folic acid per 100 grams of grain product. While this level of
fortification offers some protection against NTDs, most women will not get
enough folic acid through fortified grain products alone.
Return to Top of page
QUESTION: 9. A woman should be
taking folic acid if she: ANSWER: "d) all of the above"
HINT:
A woman should be taking folic acid if she is planning a pregnancy, is capable
of becoming pregnant (even if she is not planning a pregnancy), and if she
thinks she might become pregnant some time in the future. No one expects an
unplanned pregnancy. But they happen - every day. In fact, about half of all
pregnancies are not planned. That's why women should get enough folic acid
every day if there's any chance they could get pregnant. Because by the time a
woman knows she's pregnant, her baby's brain and spine are already formed.
Return to Top of page
QUESTION: 10. Now that you are an
expert on folic acid, you should ANSWER: "d) all of the above"
HINT: (all of the above)
Return to Top of page
Date last reviewed: 12/22/2003
Content source:
National Center On Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities (NCBDDD)
|