NI Women Urged To Take Folic Acid Daily

Women who are sexually active in Northern Ireland and who could become pregnant are being reminded of the need to take folic acid daily.

A new Safefood campaign has been developed to encourage women to take folic acid supplements to help prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spine including spina bifida and hydrocephalus.

Currently Northern Ireland has one of the highest incidences of these conditions, which are known as Neural Tube Defects (NTDs).

The campaign is targeted at all sexually active women who could become pregnant, as research has revealed that around half of pregnancies in Northern Ireland are unplanned.

Speaking at the launch of the campaign, Prof Jim Dornan, who holds the Chair of Health and Life Sciences at Ulster University said: "With such a high rate of unplanned pregnancy, it's important that our folic acid message reaches all women, not just those thinking about having a baby. Research shows that less than 1 in 5 women in Northern Ireland have taken folic acid before they become pregnant so the best approach is for all sexually active women to build this into their daily routine."

(CD/LM)