The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has released a draft recommendation advocating for individuals who are planning to or could become pregnant to take a daily folic acid supplementation of 0.4 to 0.8 mg to prevent neural tube defects.
“Neural tube defects can cause serious complications for babies including disability and death,” ask Force Member Katrina Donahue, MD, MPH, a professor in the department of medicine at the University of North Carolina, said in a press release. “Fortunately, taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects.”