Ready brochure

ready

So your body’s ready when you are.

You may

not

not

be ready
to have a baby,

but your body’s
been preparing
for years.
01/2009 CS124503

099-6229

So what if your body’s ready to have a baby?
That doesn’t mean you’re ready! You have lots to
do before motherhood. But one day you may be
ready. And that’s why you need to take folic
acid today.
The U.S. Public Health Service recommends
that all women who could possibly become
pregnant get 400 micrograms (or 0.4 mg) of folic
acid every day. This could prevent up to 70%
of some types of serious birth defects. But to do
this, women need folic acid before they get
pregnant. That’s why you should always get
enough folic acid every day even if you’re not
thinking about a baby any time soon.

Why Folic Acid
Is So Important

folic acid

Folic acid is a B vitamin that can be found in
some enriched foods and vitamin pills. If
women have enough of it in their bodies, this
vitamin can help prevent birth defects of the
baby’s brain or spine. Spina bifida, a birth defect
of the spine, can cause paralysis of the lower
body with no control of bowel or bladder,
and learning disabilities. Another type of birth
defect affects the brain and causes babies to die
within a few days.

Even If You’re Not
Planning to Have A Baby Yet

baby

But many of these birth defects can be
prevented if women get enough folic acid every
day. Folic acid can help form a baby’s brain and
spine properly. Getting enough folic acid takes a
small effort. But it makes a big difference.

eat right

Eat Right...

Most of us get some folic acid in our diet every
day. Folic acid has been added to some foods
such as enriched breads, pastas, rice and cereals.
Check the labels on your breakfast cereals.
A few have 100% of the folic acid you need.
A well-balanced diet with fruits and vegetables is
always important. You can get your folic acid
through food alone, but it takes careful planning
to make sure you get enough every day.

vitamins
...And Take A Vitamin

For many women, an easy way to be sure you’re
getting enough folic acid is to take a vitamin
with folic acid in it. Almost every multivitamin
has all the folic acid you need. If you get an
upset stomach from multivitamins, try taking
them with meals or just before bed. You can
also buy vitamin pills made with folic acid alone
— they are small and easy to swallow.

No one expects an unplanned pregnancy.
But it happens — every day. In fact, about
half of all pregnancies are not planned.
That’s why you should get enough folic acid
every day if there’s any chance you could get
pregnant. Because by the time you realize
you’re pregnant, your baby’s brain and spine
are already formed.

For More Information
Call 1-800-232-4636 (CDC-INFO), visit our web
site at www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/folicacid, or ask
your own doctor, pharmacist, nurse, or
dietitian for more information. So later,
when all of you is ready to get pregnant,
that baby of yours will be ready to take
on the world.