References

The North Carolina Folic Acid Campaign is committed to using factual information and data to support our interventions and programs. As a health care provider, we know this is important to you, too, as medical research is always changing and developing. We’ve created a list of the following references to provide you with a large and accurate picture of folic acid research. Generally, these articles are from peer-reviewed journals or government publications.

Landmark studies
Women’s knowledge and behavior regarding folic acid
Neural tube defects
Folic acid and the prevention of other birth defects
Folic acid’s role in preventing other health issues
North Carolina research
Multivitamin supplements
Preconception health
Website Links

Landmark studies

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (1992). Recommendations for the use of folic acid to reduce the number of cases of spina bifida and other neural tube defects. Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 41, 1-7.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2007). Folate status in women of childbearing Age, by race/ethnicity --- United States, 1999-2000, 2001-2002, and 2004-2004. MMWR, 55(51), 1370-80.

Czeizel, A.E., & Dudas, I. (1992). Prevention of the first occurrence of neural tube defects by periconceptional vitamin supplementation. N Engl J Med, 327, 1832-5.

Elkin, A.C., & Higham, J. (2000). Folic acid supplements are more effective than increased dietary folate intake in elevating serum folate levels. BJOG, 102(2), 285-9.

Grosse, S.D., & Waitzman, N.J. (2005). Reevaluating the benefits of folic acid fortification in the United States: Economic analysis, regulation, and public health. Am J Public Health, 95, 1917-22.

Institute of Medicine, Food and Nutrition Board. (1999). Dietary reference intakes: Thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, folate, vitamin B12, pantothenic acid, biotin, and choline. Washington, DC: National Academy Press.

MRC Vitamin Study Research Group. (1991). Prevention of neural tube defects: Results of medical research council vitamin study. The Lancet, 338, 131-7.

Mulinare J., Cordeo J.F., Erickson J.D., et. al. (1988). Periconceptional use of multivitamins and the occurrence of neural tube defects. JAMA, 260,3141-5.

Smithells, R.W., Seller, M.J., Harris, R., et al. (1983). Further experiences of vitamin supplementation for prevention of neural tube defect recurrences. The Lancet, 1, 1027.

Williams, J.L., Abelman, S.M., Fassett, E.M., Stone, C.E., Petrini, J.R., Damus, K., & Mulinare, J. (2006). Health care provider knowledge and practices regarding folic acid, United States, 2002-2003. Matern Child Health J. Sep, 10(5 Suppl), S67-72.

Women’s knowledge and behavior regarding folic acid

Center for Disease Control and Prevention (2001). Are women with recent live births aware of the benefits of folic acid? Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, 50(06), 1-14.

March of Dimes (2008). Improving Preconception Health: Women’s Knowledge and Use of Folic Acid.

March of Dimes (2007). Improving Preconception Health: Women’s Knowledge and Use of Folic Acid.

March of Dimes (2005). Folic acid and the prevention of birth defects: A national survey of pre-pregnancy awareness and behavior among women of childbearing age 1995-2005.

Meyer, R.E., Wall, A., Morgan, A., et al. (2002). Knowledge and use of folic acid among North Carolina women. NC State Center for Health Statistics. NCMJ, 63(1), 18-22.

Bentley, T.G.K., PhD, Willett, W.C., MD, DrPH, Weinstein, M.C., PhD, & Kuntz, K.M., ScD (2006). Population-level changes in folate intake by age, gender, and race/ethnicity after folic acid fortification. Am J Public Health, 96.

Yang, Q.H., et al. (2007). Race-ethnicity differences in folic acid intake in women of childbearing age in the United States after folic acid fortification: findings from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2001–2002. Am J Clin Nutr, 85, 1409–16.

Neural Tube Defects

Carmichael, S.L., Shaw, G.M., Neri, E., Schaffer, D.M., & Selvin, S. (2002). Physical activity and risk of neural tube defects. Matern Child Health J, 6(3),
151-7.

Carmichael, S.L., Shaw, G.M., et al. (2003). Dieting behaviors and risk of neural tube defects. Am J Epidemiol, 158, 1127–31.

Hernadez-Diaz, S., Werler, M.M., Walker, A.M., et al. (2000). Folic acid antagonists during pregnancy and the risk of birth defects. NEJM, 343, 1608-14.

Little, J., & Elwood, J.M. (1991). Epidemiology of neural tube defects. In M. Kiely (Ed.), Reproductive and perinatal epidemiology (pp. 251-336). Boca Raton:CRC Press.

Ouyang, L., Grosse, S.D., Armour, B.S., & Waitzman, N.J. (2007). Health care expenditures of children and adults with spina bifida in a privately insured U.S. population. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 79, 552-8.

Ray, J.G., Wyatt, P.R., Thompson, M.D., et al. (2007). Vitamin B12 and the risk of neural tube defects in a folic-acid-fortified population. Epidemiology, 18, 362-6.

Shaw, G.M., Velie, E.M., & Schaffer, D. (1996). Risk of neural tube defect-affected pregnancies among obese women. JAMA, 275, 1093-6.

Waller, K.D., Shaw, G.M., Rasmussen, S.A., et al. (2007). Prepregnancy obesity as a risk factor for structural birth defects. Arch Pediatr Adolesc Med, 161(8), 745-50.

Folic acid and the prevention of other birth defects

Badovinac, R.L., Werler, M.M., Williams. P., et al. (2007). Folic acid-containing supplement consumption during pregnancy and risk for oral clefts: A meta-analysis. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol, 79(1), 8-15.

Jenkins, K.J., MD, MPH, et al. (2007). Noninherited risk factors and congenital cardiovascular defects: Current knowledge. A scientific statement from the American Heart Association Council on Cardiovascular Disease in the Young. Endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics. Circulation, Vol. 115.

Wilcox, A.J., Lie, R.T., Solvoll, K., et al. (2007). Folic acid supplements and the risk of facial clefts: A national population based case-control study. BMJ, 334, 433-4.

Yazdy, M.M., Honein, M.A., & Xing, J. (2007). Reduction in orofacial clefts following folic acid fortification of the U.S. grain supply. Birth Defects Res A Clin Mol Teratol, 79(1), 16- 23.

Folic acid’s role in preventing other diseases

Bazzano, L.A., Jiang, H., Ogden, L.G., et al. (2002). Dietary intake of folate and risk of stroke in US men and women: NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-Up Study Stroke. 2002 May, 33(5), 1188-9.

Bazzano, L.A., Reynolds, K., Holder, K.N., & He, J. (2006). Effect of folic acid supplementation on risk of cardiovascular diseases: A meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials. JAMA, 296, 2720-6.

Cole, B.F., et al. (2007). Folic acid for the prevention of colorectal adenomas. JAMA, 297, 2351-9.

Fuchs, C.S., et al. (2002). The influence of folate and multivitamin use on the familial risk of colon cancer in women. Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention, Vol. 11, 227-34.

Hackam, D.G., Peterson, J.C., Spence, J.D. (2000). Effects of vitamin therapy on progression of carotid atherosclerosis in patients with homocysteine levels above and below 14 micromole. L. American Journal of Hypertension.

Wang, X., Qin, X., et al. (2007). Efficacy of folic acid supplementation in stroke prevention: A meta-analysis. The Lancet, 369, 1876–82.

North Carolina Research

deRosset, L., Mullenix, A., Zhang, L.Multivitamins, folic acid and birth defects: Knowledge, beliefs and behaviors of Hispanics in North Caroina. Am J Health Educ. 2009; 40(3): 155-164.

Morgan, A., Randolph, L., Meyer, R., Powers, K., & Verbiest, S. (2000). North Carolina Birth Defects Monitoring Program Surveillance Report. NC Division of Public Health.

Morgan, L., Major, J., Meyer, R. & Mullenix, A. (2009). Multivitamin Use Among Non-Pregnant Females of Childbearing Age in the Western North Carolina Multivitamin Distribution Program. NC Med J, 70(5), 386-90.

Meyer, R., & Brown, A.B. (2004). Folic acid and birth defects prevention: A public health success story. NC Med J, 65(3), 157-8.

Wall, A., & Meyer, R. (2006). Birth defects in North Carolina: A report by the North Carolina Birth Defects Monitoring Program, State Center for Health Statistics, Division of Public Health, and Department of Health and Human Services.

Multivitamin supplements

Bodnar, L.M., Tang, G., Ness, R.B., Harger, G., & Roberts, J.M. (2006). Periconceptional multivitamin use reduces the risk of preeclampsia. Am J Epidemiol, 164(5), 470-7.

Godfrey, J.R. (2007). Toward optimal health: Meir Stampfer, M.D., Dr.P.H., discusses multivitamin and mineral supplementation for women. Journal of Women’s Health, 16(7), 959-62.

Goh, Y.I., Bollano, E., Einarson, T.R., & Koren, G. (2007). Prenatal multivitamin supplementation and rates of pediatric cancers: A meta-analysis. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics, 81(5), 685-91.

Sanghvi, T., Van Ameringen, M., Baker, J., & Fiedler, J. (2007). Food and Nutrition Bulletin, 28(1 suppl). Tokyo: United Nations University Press.

Preconception health

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. (2006). Recommendations to improve preconception health and health care — United States: A report of the CDC/ATSDR Preconception Care Work Group and the Select Panel on Preconception Care. MMWR, 55(No. RR-6), [inclusive page numbers].

Michael, C. (2007). Recommendations for preconception care. Am Fam Physician, 76, 397-400.

Preconception care: Healthy women today, healthy babies tomorrow. National Association of County & City Health Officials issue brief.

Verbiest, S., Cox, E., et al. (2007). Looking back, moving forward: North Carolina’s path to healthier women and babies.

Website Links

This web site is designed for informational use only; it is not designed to give advice or cure or treat any medical condition you may have. If you have any questions about your health, please contact your health care provider. If you need immediate medical attention, please call 911.