Folic acid, a B vitamin, helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spinal cord when taken very early in pregnancy. It is available in most multivitamins, as a folic acid-only supplement and in some foods. Some studies suggest that folic acid may also protect women and men from stroke, colon cancer and breast cancer. National Folic Acid Awareness Week is observed January 7-13. Resources are available at the National Council on Folic Acid’s web site at www.folicacidinfo.org. 

A resource for health professionals and students in the health professions is "Advocating for Folic Acid: A Guide for Health Professionals," which is available for free at www.folicacid.net. It is a web-based module designed to train health professionals and students to counsel on the benefits of folic acid in the prevention of birth defects and other conditions.

Further, the National Folic Acid Council is holding a free Folic Acid Awareness Week Seminar on Tuesday, January 8 from 1–2 p.m. (ET).  The free educational webinar, "Preventing Birth Defects with Folic Acid: What You Need to Know, What You Can Do," includes presentations from the following speakers:

• Ms. Leslie Harrison and Ms. Denise D'Angelo, Pregnancy Risk Assessment Monitoring System (PRAMS), Division of Reproductive Health at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, present relevant statistics on unplanned/unintended pregnancy, data on multivitamin use broken down by state.
• Ms. Adriane K. Griffen, Acting Chair, National Council on Folic Acid and Director of Health Promotion and Partnerships, Spina Bifida Association, offers basic folic acid information and reviews recommendations.
• Ms. Catherine Ruhl, Associate Director, Women's Health Programs, Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses, outlines folic acid counseling and examples of counseling scenarios.
• Ms. Eileen Shannon Carlson, mother of a 10 year old who has Spina Bifida, offers a personal perspective.

Participation in this web cast takes place exclusively through the internet.  To register for the event, please visit www.mchcom.com.