What are the health benefits of folic acid?
• It contributes to overall health and vitality. • It can lower the risk for neural tube defects. • It may lower risk for: • heart disease. • certain cancers. • other birth defects. • It’s good for men and women of all ages! What are neural tube defects? • Neural tube defects (NTDs) are birth defects that occur when the neural tube doesn’t close properly. • The neural tube is the part of the baby that forms the baby’s brain and spinal cord. If the neural tube doesn’t develop properly, mild to severe birth defects can occur. • Spina bifida is the most common type of NTD. Who is at risk? • All women and teenage girls who can become pregnant are at risk. 95% of all NTDs occur in women with no personal or family history of NTDs. • However, NTDs are more common among women of certain Hispanic subpopulations, and among women of Northern China, Northern Ireland, and the United Kingdom. Factors that may put you at even higher risk are: • Race/ethnicity/geographical location • Use of anti-seizu
