Neural Tube Defects on the Rise in Utah
01.07.2010 by Elizabeth Ziegler
(KCPW News) The rate of children born with spine and brain defects in Utah is higher than the national average, increasing from 5.6 out of every 10,000 babies to 8.5 over the past decade. That’s about 18 to 25 additional babies born each year with problems like spina bifida, which can cause part of the spinal cord to protrude from a child’s back. Adriane Griffen serves on the Executive Committee for the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center on Birth Defects, and is the spokeswoman for the National Council on Folic Acid. She spoke with KCPW’s Elizabeth Ziegler about why folic acid is important for women who may become pregnant.
This week, the Utah Department of Health is distributing 26,000 bottles of multivitamins to low-income women. The health department says taking folic acid before pregnancy can reduce brain and spine birth defects by 70 percent.
