FOR RELEASE ON: Contact:
January 8, 2007 Crissy Rowland
270-781-8039 ext. 120
crissyg.rowland@ky.gov
HISPANIC Babies at greater risk for severe birth defects
The Kentucky Folic Acid Partnership Promotes Education During National
Folic Acid Awareness Week
Bowling Green, KY - Hispanic babies are 1.5 to 2 times more likely than
others in the U.S. to be born with a neural tube defect (NTD), according
to national statistics.
The Barren River District Health Department as a founding member of the
Kentucky Folic Acid Partnership will recognize National Folic Acid
Awareness Week January 8-14, 2007, throughout the eight counties of the
BRDHD by providing the campaign’s special educational materials to the
public.
Statistics show higher prevalence of Latinas in the United States
delivering babies with NTDs, serious birth defects of the brain and the
spine, than non-Hispanic white women. However, the Centers for Disease
Control and Prevention (CDCP) reports that Latinas in the United States
consume the least amount of folic acid and have the least knowledge
about folic acid among racial or ethnic groups in this country.
“All women of childbearing age need to consume 400 micrograms (mcg) of
folic acid daily to help ensure they are getting enough folic acid prior
to conception and throughout the entire first trimester of
pregnancy-whether they are planning a pregnancy or not. But Latina women
are in a higher risk category and they may need even more than that
amount if they are considering becoming pregnant. Ninety percent of
women who become pregnant with a NTD affected pregnancy never had a
history of NTDs in their family prior to that,” said Dr. Ruth Ann
Shepherd, Chairperson for the Kentucky Folic Acid Partnership (KFAP),
and Director of the Adult and Child Division of the Kentucky Department
for Public Health.
Research indicates that consumption of folic acid before and during
early pregnancy can lower the rate of NTDs by up to 70 percent. The U.S.
Public Health Service recommends 400 micrograms of the B vitamin folic
acid daily for all women of childbearing age. It is recommended that
women take multivitamins and consume fortified grains as part of a
healthy diet. Increasing consumption of folic acid among Latina
populations may be the easiest way to decrease the number of pregnancies
affected by NTDs.
Susan Brown, Kentucky’s Statewide Folic Acid Campaign Coordinator,
states, “It’s so important for women to do what they can and take a
multivitamin with folic acid everyday. Many women associate folic acid
with pregnancy and fail to understand that folic acid must be taken
every single day before becoming pregnant. By the time a woman discovers
she’s pregnant the neural tube has already developed-normally or
abnormally, and by then there is nothing that can be done to change it.”
Country music singer Ricky Tanksley produced a music video in 1999 to
help bring attention to this new hope that women now have to help
prevent NTDs. His music video “Angels Don’t Walk They Fly,” is available
free from the CDCP. The video was produced in memory of Christina Marie
Dozier who was
born with spina bifida and who during her short life was never able to
walk. The video includes a 30-second PSA message from Tanksley, to all
women of childbearing age, urging them to:
“In honor of Christina, remember to take your 400 micrograms of folic
acid every day and tell everyone you know to do the same. I want all
women to know about folic acid and I will do whatever I can do, to help
prevent another child being affected by Spina Bifida.”
The Kentucky Folic Acid Partnership (representing 92 members from across
the state) is a member of the National Council on Folic Acid, a
partnership with national organizations/associations and state folic
acid councils that reach over 100 million people per year with the folic
acid message. For more information about folic acid and National Folic
Acid Awareness Week, visit www.folicacidinfo.org or www.kfap.org
<http://www.kfap.org> or the barrenriverhealth.org websites
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PROMOTE • PROTECT • PREVENT
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