Why is folic acid so important?

Taking a multivitamin with folic acid in it can help lower the risk of having a baby born with certain birth defects.  For this reason, it’s recommended that all people who could become pregnant take a multivitamin that contains 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid in it every day.

NTDs happen in the early weeks of pregnancy when the neural tube (the part of the developing baby that will become the brain and spinal cord) doesn’t close properly.  Taking a multivitamin that contains 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid every day before pregnancy can help lower the risk.

Learn more about folic acid and multivitamins during pregnancy.