Micronutrients & recovery
Preconception folic acid supplementation significantly reduces the risk of recurrent neural tube defects by approximately 69%.
If you are planning to conceive, start taking folic acid immediately. The neural tube closes very early, often before you know you are pregnant. This supplement is the most effective way to prevent serious birth defects like neural tube defects. If your pregnancy is unplanned, rely on food fortification as a backup, but do not wait to start supplements once you find out.
The results from three randomized double-blind placebo-controlled studies yield a 69% reduced risk (RR of 0.31, 95% CI 0.14-0.66) for recurrent NTDs with periconceptional folic acid supplementation.
Why this rating
Based on multiple randomized double-blind placebo-controlled trials and meta-analyses.
Source
Preconception care: nutritional risks and interventions
Sohni V Dean et al. · Reproductive Health · 2014
DOI 10.1186/1742-4755-11-s3-s3
More from this paper
- Preconception folic acid and multivitamin supplementation significantly reduce the risk of congenital heart defects and preeclampsia.Good
- Pre-pregnancy underweight (BMI <18.5) significantly increases the risk of preterm birth by 32% and small-for-gestational age babies by 64%.Good
- Pre-pregnancy overweight and obesity significantly increase the risk of preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and cesarean delivery.Good
Related findings · Micronutrients & recovery
- Trans fats (industrial trans-fatty acids) are unequivocally harmful and should be completely avoided as they raise LDL-C, TGs, and Apo B while lowering HDL-C.Strong
- For menopausal women with osteoporosis, first-line pharmacologic therapies include alendronate, risedronate, zoledronic acid, and denosumab for the prevention of hip, nonvertebral, and vertebral fractures.Strong
- Folic acid fortification of flour prevents neural tube birth defects, and mandatory fortification is more effective than voluntary supplementation alone.Strong
This is one finding among thousands. Every one is graded and traced to its source, so you can see what the evidence actually supports. Browse the research →