More help from folic acid
From the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, I'm Ira Dreyfuss with HHS HealthBeat. A woman who takes 400 micrograms a day of folic acid can protect her baby from a birth defect. It's known that folic helps to prevent neural tube defects – in the part of the baby that becomes the brain and spinal cord. Now research finds this vitamin reduces the risk of facial deformity – cleft lip and palate. Allen Wilcox of the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences looked at data on women in Norway. The study in the British Medical Journal says many cases could be prevented: "It's very important for women who might be pregnant or who are planning to get pregnant to start taking folic acid before they conceive. And that way they can be absolutely sure that they will be protected during the crucial time that the embryo is forming." (14 seconds) Learn more at www.hhs.gov. HHS HealthBeat is a production of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. I'm Ira Dreyfuss. Last revised: February, 22 2007 | 
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