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Why is it important for a woman to take a multivitamin containing folic acid?

522 views · Published 29 January 2013 · 1:27 · Indexed 21 September 2026

Channel: IntermountainParents · 2013 · Autos & Vehicles

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All women of childbearing age, so 18-44, should consume a multivitamin containing folic acid every day prior to pregnancy.  What we do know is that 50% of all pregnancies are unplanned which is why it's so important for a woman, even if she's not planning on getting pregnant, to take a multivitamin, again with 400 micrograms of folic acid every day prior to pregnancy.  Getting enough folic acid prior to pregnancy helps reduce neural tube defects by 50%-70%.  A woman needs to be taking folic acid prior to pregnancy to help prevent neural tube defects.  Neural tube defects are defects that affect the brain and the spine of your baby, so spina bifida or anencephaly.  Spina bifida, the child usually uses a wheelchair or a walker and anencephaly is always fatal.  Our Utah data shows that 70% of women who have a child with a neural tube defect have already had one healthy pregnancy and these women are under the age of 30.  That's why it's important for young women to be taking a multivitamin with folic acid daily.

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