Professor Jim Dornan, chair of health and life sciences at Ulster University, is backing a Safefood campaign stressing the importance of all women taking folic acid daily to help prevent Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) among newborns.
Research has revealed that around half of pregnancies here are unplanned and less than one in five women have taken folic acid before they become pregnant – so the best approach is for all sexually active women to build this into their daily routine.
At safefood, they usually tell people to take supplements. That’s because if you eat healthy, you can generally get all the nutrients you need from food. There is one exception though – and that’s folic acid, for women who are sexually active and could become pregnant.
“Taking folic acid for 3 months before you become pregnancy and for the first 3 months of your pregnancy can help your baby’s spine and brain develop properly” says Aileen McGloin
But I’m not planning a baby I hear you say?
That may well be. The problem is that about half of all pregnancies are unplanned and you never know. There’s an easy solution though. Just take folic acid every day.
Prof Dornan said: “All woman who could be in a position of getting pregnant should be taking folic acid as a normal diet just doesn’t do it.
“If a woman takes extra folic acid from pre-conception onwards she can reduce the incidences of Spina Bifida by two thirds.
“There is a culture change in that women have got the message they should take folic acid in early pregnancy but three quarters take it too late.
“In needs to be in the system for the important time of three weeks after conception as that is when the spinal cord is forming.”
Professor Dornan equated a delay with “putting factor 30 on as the sun is setting”.
But creating a new habit is not that easy?
It does take a bit of effort at first but it can be done. Here are some suggestions that we think might help:
- Start by weighing up the costs and benefits – What is this change going to cost you, for example effort or time or money? (Just a few cents or pennies a day), and how are you going to benefit? (A much reduced chance of having a child with spina bifida or another Neural Tube Defect )
- Know the facts – Get all the info on why it’s beneficial to take it, how much you need to take and when
- Commit to establishing a new routine. – we are talking about taking a tiny tablet each day. Decide that you are going to do it. For a low effort your baby (even if it’s far into the future) can only benefit.
- Set a routine time to take it – morning with breakfast is often good. Use prompts and cues to help you with that. You can set an alarm on your phone for when you need to take it, for example.
- Be prepared – keep your folic acid handy and just pop it in your handbag.
- Create a social norm – don’t be afraid to talk to your friends about taking it. Taking folic acid doesn’t mean that you are planning a baby. It just means that when you do have a baby sometime in the future, you are already helping to protect their health. If all your friends are taking it, it will make it easier for everyone.
- What you are doing is important – for the first few weeks it might be nice to reward yourself when you do take it every day. This could mean buying yourself a magazine or go bigger if you have a bit of spare cash to splash.
For more information and advice visit #FolicFacts
Are you sexually active? Are you taking Folic Acid – @safefood_eu Prof Jim Dornan backs #folicfacts campaign pic.twitter.com/QYSeTl7WvV
— Love Belfast ❤️ (@love_belfast) July 27, 2015
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