Folic acid linked to reduced risk of preemie births

Tuesday May 13, 2009 (foodconsumer.org) -- A study conducted by the University of Texas confirms a direct correlation between folic acid supplementation and reduced risk of early birth. The study followed 35,000 women; those who took folic acid for a full year before conception were 50% less likely to give birth before 37 weeks.

That’s good news; according to the March of Dimes, 12% of American newborns are born before 37 weeks. The UT study further reveals that those who took folic acid prior to conception were 70% less likely to experience spontaneous birth before 20-28 weeks, and 50% less likely to deliver from 28-32 weeks.

Babies who are born prematurely are more likely to have breathing problems and developmental/learning difficulties later in life. They are also less likely to survive than babies born a full forty weeks after conception.

This latest development is more good news for women who take folic acid. Since the United States and Canada mandated that certain grain products be fortified with folic acid (or B9) in 1998, the incidence of Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) in fetuses has been reduced by 15-50%. Several decades ago, researchers discovered the correlation between low levels of folic acid in pregnant women and NTDs, such as spina bifida, in their newborns.

Folic acid is nutritionally imperative for healthy cell growth. The CDC states that the number of women who have low folate levels has decreased dramatically since the inception of the grain fortification program.

Vegetables high in folic acid include spinah, asparagus, lentiles, garbanzo beans and lima beans.

(By Rachel Stockton, and edited by Heather Kelley)