Evidence supporting the use of: Folate
For the health condition: Birth Defects (prevention)

Links: Go back one page, Tool main page, Ingredients list, Health conditions list, Body systems list

Synopsis

Source of validity: Scientific
Rating (out of 5): 5

Folate (vitamin B9) supplementation is strongly supported by scientific evidence for the prevention of certain birth defects, particularly neural tube defects (NTDs) such as spina bifida and anencephaly. The link between folate deficiency and NTDs was first observed in the 1960s and 1970s, and multiple high-quality randomized controlled trials and large-scale epidemiological studies since then have confirmed that periconceptional folic acid supplementation significantly reduces the risk of these defects. As a result, public health organizations worldwide, including the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the World Health Organization (WHO), recommend that women of childbearing age consume 400 micrograms of folic acid daily, starting before conception and continuing through early pregnancy.

Mandatory folic acid fortification of certain foods, implemented in many countries (such as the USA since 1998), has led to a measurable decrease in the incidence of NTDs at the population level. These effects have been consistently documented in multiple countries and across diverse populations. The biological mechanism is also well understood: folate is essential for DNA synthesis, repair, and methylation, all of which are crucial during the rapid cell division and growth that occurs in early embryonic development. Insufficient folate impairs proper closure of the neural tube, leading to birth defects. Thus, the use of folate for the prevention of birth defects is one of the most well-established and evidence-based interventions in maternal and child health.

More about folate
More about Birth Defects (prevention)