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The NH Folic Acid Education Program provides educational and prevention activities to increase awareness about the importance for women of child-bearing age to consume adequate folate in their diets along with a folic acid supplement before becoming pregnant in order to prevent neural tube birth defects.
Folic Acid Every Day!
Folic acid is a B vitamin. It is used in our bodies to make new cells. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and while she is pregnant, her baby is less likely to have a major birth defect of the brain or spine. These birth defects are called neural tube defects or NTDs. Women need to take folic acid every day starting before they are pregnant to help prevent NTDs.
All women who could potentially become pregnant are advised to consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily through foods rich in folate or by taking a multivitamin containing folic acid to prevent NTDs.
Education
The Folic Acid Program provides educational in-services to various groups about the prevention of neural tube birth defects. Groups may include medical providers, health educators, nutritionists, and women of childbearing age. Other prevention activites include exhibits at health fairs and conferences as well as distribution of free educational materials such as posters and brochures.
Multivitamin Distribution
Multivitamins containing 400 mcg of folic acid are provided to post-partum women that participate in the NH WIC Program, as well as, women of childbearing age who receive health care at participating healthcenters across the state. Participating WIC agencies include:
- Coos County Family Health Services
- Ammonoosuc Community Health Services
- Community Action Program Belknap and Merrimack Counties
- Southern NH Services
- Southwestern Community Services
Marriage License Program
Participating town clerk offices volunteer to distribute a greeting card that says "Congratulations" to couples applying for a marriage license. The card includes a message reminding women to take folic acid to prevent birth defects.
NH Folic Acid Council
The council meets quarterly in order to offer guidance to the Folic Acid Program and collaborate on mutually beneficial projects.
Folic Acid Council Partners Include:
- NH DHHS Nutrition and Health Promotion Section
- Southern NH Services WIC Program
- Rockingham Community Action WIC Program
- Southwestern Community Services WIC Program
- Community Action Program of Belknap & Merrimack Counties WIC Program
- March of Dimes – NH Chapter
- NH Birth Conditions Program, Dartmouth Hitchcock Medical Center
- NH DHHS Family Planning Program
- UNH Cooperative Extension
- UNH Health Education and Promotion department
Important Dates
Birth Defects Awareness Month is January. The National Birth Defects Prevention Network sponsors the campaign to increase awareness about birth defects. For more information on how to participate go to: www.nbdpn.org
National Folic Acid Awareness Week is held annually during the 2nd week of January. The National Council on Folic Acid (NCFA) sponsors this prevention and awareness campaign in an effort to increase awareness about the need for folic acid in the prevention of birth defects. Free materials such as sample press releases, letters to healthcare providers, posters and brochures for the public, are available. For more information on the NCFA go to www.folicacidinfo.org
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