Additional studies show folic acid prevents birth defects

Consuming adequate folic acid during pregnancy can reduce the risk of spina bifida and other birth defects by as much as 78 percent, according to an epidemiological study. In the province of Newfoundland and Labrador, where government regulations require fortification of certain foods with folic acid, neural tube defects dropped from an average of 4.36 defects per 1,000 births to an average of 0.96 defects per 1,000 births. Most health organizations recommend that pregnant women and women of childbearing age take 400 micrograms of supplement folic acid daily.