Folic Acid
Folic acid is a B vitamin. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and during pregnancy, it can help prevent major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine. Women need 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.
Basic
Facts, why it’s important, and how much women need.
Recommendations
Occurrence and recurrence prevention.
Free Materials & Multimedia
Fact sheets, infographics, videos, podcasts & PSAs, buttons, & a quiz.
Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently asked questions about folic acid.
Birth Defects COUNT
CDC’s global initiative to reduce death and lifelong disability due to neural tube defects.
Page last reviewed: November 17, 2020