More folic acid in flour needed to prevent severe birth defects

pregnant woman The UK Government's current proposal to fortify one type of flour with folic acid is inadequate as it suggests a low dose that would fail to prevent hundreds of cases of severe birth defects each year, according to a new paper by UCL's Professor Sir Nicholas Wald. The article, published in The Journal of Medical Screening , argued that increasing the dose from what is currently proposed would prevent about 80% of neural tube defects, which result in life-threatening and disabling spinal conditions such as spina bifida and anencephaly. The currently proposed policy would only prevent about 10%. The neural tube forms the early part of the brain and spine within the first 4 weeks of gestation, usually before the mother knows she is pregnant. A deficiency in folate, or vitamin B9, can cause defects in the neural tube. Folic acid is the synthetic and stable form of folate. While women are advised to take folic acid supplements prior to and during the early part of pregnancy, many mothers do not take the supplement early enough.