AAP News Vol. 13 No. 12 December 1997, p. 15
© 1997 American Academy of Pediatrics
This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow E-mail this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My File Cabinet
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrow reprints & permissions
Citing Articles
Right arrow Citing Articles via Google Scholar
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by Shapiro, L. R.
Right arrow Search for Related Content

 Previous Article  |  Next Article 

Sexually active women of child-bearing age need folic acid

Lawrence R. Shapiro M.D., FAAP

Supplementing the diet of women with 0.4 mg per day of folic acid prior to and during early pregnancy can help prevent approximately 50 percent of all neural tube defects (spina bifida, anencephaly and encephalocele). While folic acid is present in green leafy vegetables and many fruits and juices, pregnant women tend not to consume adequate amounts of these foods, especially in the first trimester.