Spina bifida is a birth defect that can happen to anyone. There is no known cause of spina bifida, but research has shown that if a woman takes 400 mcg of folic acid every day for at least one month before conception, she reduces her risk of having a baby with spina bifida or another neural tube defect by as much as 70 percent.

Folic acid is found in foods such as cereals, broccoli, spinach and other leafy green vegetables and citrus fruits. Most women do not eat enough folic acid-containing foods (such as leafy vegetables and citrus fruits). For this reason, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration requires that flour, breads, rolls, buns, corn meal and grits, farina, rice, macaroni, and noodle products should be fortified with folic acid.

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