An easy to take vitamin supplement can dramatically lower the chances that a child is born with health problems. Every four minutes a baby is born in the U.S. with birth defects.
Oneida County and other health departments were involved during January with National Birth Defects Prevention Month.
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Brenda Husing, Registered Dietitian and Lactation specialist says there are ways for pregnant women to cut the risk of birth defects...
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".....such as taking 400 micrograms of folic acid a day, keeping appointments with doctors, avoiding alcohol and (avoiding) smoking..."
Husing says folic acid is critical early in the pregnancy...
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".....a multi-vitamin that contains folic acid. About 50 percent of pregnancies are unplanned. So by taking that multi-vitamin or folic acid...that way, when the baby, when they're first developing is getting that right away. That's one of the easiest ways to prevent birth defects...."
There are more than 60 million women of child bearing age in the United States. More information is on the Oneida County Health Department website at www.oneidacountypublichealth.org
