The simple action by a woman who could get pregnant of taking folic acid daily can reduce her chances of having a pregnancy affected by these serious birth defects of the brain and spine. Yet, few women know that they should take folic acid daily, and fewer still understand that they should take it before becoming pregnant.

Folic acid in a vitamin supplement, when taken one month before conception and throughout the first trimester, has been proven to reduce the risk for a neural tube defect (NTD)-affected pregnancy by 50 to 70 percent. Folic acid is necessary for proper cell growth and development of the embryo. Although it is not known exactly how folic acid works to prevent NTDs, its role in tissue formation is essential. 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.