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Folate Status in Women of Childbearing Age, by Race/Ethnicity --- United States, 1999--2000, 2001--2002, and 2003--2004
To help prevent pregnancies affected by neural tube defects (e.g., spina bifida or anencephaly), fortification of enriched cereal-grain products with folic acid became mandatory in the United States in 1998. Data from the 1999--2000 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey indicated median serum folate concentrations in nonpregnant women of childbearing age had increased substantially from 1988--1994, before fortification was mandated. This report updates those findings and assess trends in serum folate concentrations by race/ethnicity from 1999--2000 to 2003--2004.
Date Released: 1/19/2007 Running time: 1:28 Author: MMWR Series Name: A Minute of Health with CDC
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A Minute of Health with CDC
Folate Status in Women of Childbearing Age, by
Race/Ethnicity
--- United States, 1999--2000, 2001--2002,
and 2003--2004
This podcast is presented by the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention. CDC – safer, healthier people.
Babies may be born with neural tube defects that affect their brain or
spinal cord if their mothers don’t get enough folic acid during their
pregnancy. In 1992, the Public Health Service recommended that all
women, age 15 to 44 who could become pregnant take 400 micrograms of
folic acid every day. By 1998, the Food and Drug Administration required
that all enriched flour be fortified with folic acid. Still, only about 1 out
of 3
women get enough folic acid each day.
Even women who aren’t planning to get pregnant should take folic acid.
Many pregnancies aren’t planned and a woman may not know for a month
or two that she’s pregnant. By then, it will be too late to start taking
folic
acid since the brain and spinal cord – the neural tube – are among
the first
structures to develop in the early weeks of pregnancy. The best way to
ensure getting enough folic acid is to take 400 micrograms daily as a
supplement.
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