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Thinking of having a baby : Folic acid - an essential ingredient in making babies

You can help protect your baby against spina bifida if you act before you get pregnant. Fortunately, there is something you can do to give your child the best possible chance of not having a neural tube defect. Research shows that a B vitamin called folic acid can greatly reduce the chance of a baby being born with neural tube defects by helping to make sure that the spine develops properly. Medical studies have shown that women who increase their intake of folic acid at the time their baby's spine is forming reduce the risk of having a baby with these conditions. The simplest way to make sure you get enough folic acid to benefit your baby is to take a folic acid supplement every day. They are easy to find in pharmacies, health food shops and most supermarkets and cost around one pound for one month's supply.