In Nebraska, approximately 700 babies are born with birth defects annually.
Birth defects are the leading cause of infant mortality.
January is Birth Defects Prevention Month and the Neural Tube Defect Prevention Coalition is concerned that not enough women know how to increase their chances of having a healthy baby. Research by the National Folic Acid Council has found that proper nutrition plays a critical role in the development of healthy babies. The U.S. Public Health Service recommends that all women of childbearing age consume 400 micrograms of folic acid each day. Folic acid, a B vitamin, taken before pregnancy and in the early weeks of pregnancy, can reduce a woman's risk of having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect. In the U.S., neural tube defects affect an estimated 4,000 pregnancies each year.