Posted by kathryn in Nutrition and Grains

As I posted yesterday, folate is a vitamin we all need. Our bodies use it in DNA replication, for catalysing cell growth and repair, as well as in making red blood cells. It’s found in a number of different foods.

Women are advised to take folate supplements in pregnancy, to prevent neural tube defects (NTDs). These are a group of birth defects which include spina bifida and anencephaly. It’s estimated that up to 70% of NTDs are preventable through increasing the mother’s folate intake.

How often do NTDs occur?

Since the 1980s there has been a marked decrease in the number of babies born with NTDs. Improved pre-natal screening techniques can show up the presence of NTDs early in pregnancy.

While there aren’t accurate figures on the incidence of NTDs here in Australia, it’s estimated that between 300 and 350 pregnancies are affected each year.

What about taking supplements?

Since 1993 health authorities have recommended women who are trying to fall pregnant top up their dietary intake of folate with supplements. Despite this _the majority of women in Australia are not taking folate supplements when they fall pregnant.

Part of the problem is half of all pregnancies are unplanned. Moreover, despite the health campaigns, there is a lack of awareness about the timing and benefits of folate in pregnancy, with many mistakenly believing they only need to start taking folate once pregnant.

It’s this which has led the charge, here in Australia and many other countries, to add folic acid to foods. This forced supplementation through the food supply is meant to prevent women from being folate deficient when they fall pregnant and thereby reduce the number of NTD affected pregnancies each year.

27 June, 2007