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National Birth Defects Prevention Month and Folic Acid Awareness Week
January is National Birth Defects Prevention Month. Birth defects affect approximately one in 33 newborns and are
a leading cause of infant mortality in the United States
(1). Lifetime care for all infants born in a single year with one or more
of 17 severe birth defects has been estimated at $6 billion
(2).
This year, the focus is on obesity prevention and weight management before, during, and after pregnancy. Maternal
obesity has been linked to certain birth defects (e.g., neural tube defects)
(3). Health-care professionals should encourage women
to reach a healthy weight before pregnancy to reduce their infant's risk for birth defects.
January 5--11 is National Folic Acid Awareness Week. Consuming 400
µg of folic acid daily, before and during
early pregnancy, will help reduce a woman's risk for pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect
(4). Health-care professionals should encourage women who can become pregnant to consume folic acid daily through a vitamin supplement or enriched
foods. Additional information regarding prevention of birth defects is available at
http://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd.
References
Hoyert DL, Mathews TJ, Menacker F, et al. Annual summary of vital statistics: 2004. Pediatrics 2006;117:168--83.
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