Folic acid key
to women’s healthThe vitamin aids pregnancy,
but many women forget to take it
The main reason women of childbearing age don't take an important vitamin to help prevent birth defects is that they just forget, according to a national study.
The March of Dimes survey, which excluded Hawaii and Alaska, found that about a third of women take folic acid, a B-vitamin that combats spina bifida and other birth defects.
Dr. Jennifer L. Howse, March of Dimes president, said about half of the country's pregnancies are unplanned, so it's important for every woman of childbearing age to take a multivitamin with folic acid daily.
Although Hawaii was left out of the survey, Connie Brunn, director of program services at the March of Dimes Hawaii Chapter, said she believes the findings likely are valid here also.
Over the years, the number of women aware of the need for a daily B vitamin has increased, Brunn said.
"But the behavior hasn't changed that dramatically."
On a national level the past two or three years, between 32 percent and 35 percent of women take folic acid, she said.
"Almost 80 percent are saying they're aware it's important but awareness obviously doesn't translate into behavior change."
Other primary reasons for women ages 18 to 45 not taking the vitamin ranged from "no particular reason" and "don't feel I need them" to "already get balanced nutrition" and a dislike of taking pills to "costs too much," according to the new survey.
The Gallup Organization conducted the survey for March of Dimes under a grant from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
Rates of spina bifida and other neural tube defects have been declining but could be lower with daily folic acid intake, Howse said.
A March of Dimes survey last year showed 58 percent of Hawaii women of childbearing age were aware of folic acid but only 26 percent took the vitamin daily.
March of Dimes has been leading a national campaign since 1998 to educate doctors and women ages 18 to 45 about the importance of folic acid.
The new survey shows 32 percent of American women in that age group take a daily multivitamin containing folic acid -- a 4 percent increase since 1995.
About 33 percent of women said they would be more likely to take such a pill if it was advised by their doctor or health care provider.
An estimated 2,500 babies are born annually with neural tube defects and many other pregnancies end in miscarriages or stillbirth, the March of Dimes said. To prevent this, women capable of becoming pregnant should take a multivitamin with 0.4 mg of folic acid every day one to three months before pregnancy. A healthy diet with leafy green vegetables, beans and fortified grains -- all foods with folic acid -- also is essential.
The March of Dimes and the Folic Acid Council have worked together in Hawaii to educate women about folic acid.
The council, funded by the March of Dimes, arranged for translation of a brochure about the importance of folic acid into Ilocano, Chinese, Vietnamese and Spanish.
Nutritionists in the state Health Department's Women, Infants and Children's Services Branch developed the brochure to describe local foods high in folic acid.
Physicians and the general public can obtain the brochure by contacting the WIC Branch, 586-8175, or the Folic Acid Council through the Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition of Hawaii, 951-5805.
