Periconceptional folate intake and neural tube defects.

Approximately 50% of neural tube defects may be folate-preventable and perhaps even more in other countries where prevalence is high. The Public Health Service has issued the recommendation that all women of childbearing age in the United States who are capable of becoming pregnant should consume 400 micrograms of folic acid/day for the purpose of reducing this risk. Ways in which a reproductive age woman could achieve this goal include: 1) fortifying a food sample with folic acid, 2) consuming supplements containing at least 400 mcg of folic acid, or 3) increasing nutrient intake by eating foods rich in folate. Advantages of consuming foods high in folate content are that it is a natural behavior and consistent with other dietary recommendations. However, this method is dependent upon a proper diet, and equivalencies of conjugated (dietary form) vs. unconjugated (in supplements) folate are unknown. The benefit of a supplementation policy is that the appropriate group can be targeted as pregnancies are pl...