Studies show that an increase in the mother's dietary folic acid
before conception and during the first month of pregnancy reduces
the risk of having a child with a neural tube defect. The
recommendation is that women of childbearing years take a daily
folic acid supplement.
Review Date: 06/14/2011
Reviewed By: A.D.A.M. Editorial Team: David Zieve, MD, MHA, and David R. Eltz.
Previously reviewed by David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of
Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine,
University of Washington School of Medicine; and Yi-Bin Chen, MD,
Leukemia/Bone Marrow Transplant Program, Massachusetts General
Hospital (8/9/2009).
A.D.A.M., Inc. is accredited by URAC, also known as the American Accreditation HealthCare Commission (www.urac.org)
