Folic acid to prevent neural tube defects

Neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly affect about 2000 pregnancies in the UK each year, and 1600 of these end in termination or stillbirth. To help prevent these defects women are advised to take supplements of folic acid around the time of conception and in the early weeks of pregnancy. In this article we look at the issues surrounding the routine use of folic acid.