Foods fortified with folic acid decrease rates of some types of congenital heart defects in Canada, finds new research published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation.
Folic acid is a B vitamin that our bodies use to make new cells, and it is important for the development of a healthy fetus.
Adding folic acid to white flour, pasta, and cornmeal has been mandatory in Canada since 1998. Evidence of folic acid reducing neural tube defects, oral cleft, and cardiovascular anomalies led to the Government of Canada taking steps to help women of childbearing age increase the amount of folate they consume.
The United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that women take 400 micrograms of folic acid per day from at least 1 month before getting pregnant to prevent major birth defects of the baby's brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida).
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| The risk of the most common type of congenital heart disease could be reduced with foods fortified with folic acid. |
Source: medicalnewstoday
