Folic Acid Cuts Risk of Premature Birth
Folic acid has long been known to cut the risk of brain and spinal cord defects when taken as a supplement during pregnancy. Now it’s also being linked to a significantly reduced risk of premature delivery.
Premature birth is one of the greatest risk factors for conditions such as cerebral palsy and mental retardation. But if taken for one year prior to pregnancy, folic acid can cut the risk of early preterm birth (28-32 weeks gestation) by 50 percent and very early preterm birth (20-28 weeks) by 70 percent.
These findings are based on an analysis of folate supplementation in 38,033 women who participated in a National Institutes of Health study. The research is published in the current issue of PLOS Medicine, an online journal.
The March of Dimes recommends that women take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day.
