This occurs when part of the baby's spinal cord remains outside the body. The baby may have paralyzed legs and, later, may develop bladder and bowel control problems. The most serious neural tube defect is anencephaly. The baby is born without part of its skull and brain, and eventually dies. Too Taking a multivitamin that has 0.4 mg of folic acid is another way of getting the recommended amount.
Most multivitamins contain the recommended amount of folic acid.
However, avoid taking more than one multivitamin per day. Too much of the other vitamins, especially vitamin A, could cause serious health problems. Don't be Confused by Labels Read food and vitamin labels carefully to be sure you're getting enough folic acid. The amount of folic acid or folate in a vitamin or food may be given as either 400 micrograms or 0.4 mg. They are the same amounts.