Birth defects are the leading cause of death in the first year of life. Each year, about 150,000 babies are born with birth defects, including physical or mental disabilities, or both. The Nassau County Department of Health reminds residents that many birth defects may be preventable.

According to the U.S. Public Health Service, all women of childbearing age (15 - 44 years) should consume 400 micrograms of folic acid each day. Folic acid, a B vitamin, taken before and during the first weeks of pregnancy, can reduce a woman's risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect (NTD.) The most common NTD is spina bifida, when the baby's spine develops outside the body. Spina bifida is the leading cause of childhood paralysis. In the United States, NTD's affect an estimated 4,000 pregnancies each year.

Up to 70 percent of NTD's can be prevented if women consume the recommended amount at least a month prior to conception and during the first trimester of pregnancy.

With half of all pregnancies unplanned, women who are sexually active and of childbearing age should try to consume foods rich in folate, the natural version of folic acid. These foods include orange juice, leafy green vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, turnip greens, and legumes such as navy beans, kidney beans, lentils and garbanzo beans. Grains and pastas are enriched with folic acid as well as certain breakfast cereals (check the nutritional information on the box.)

Many experts acknowledge that it is difficult to maintain the daily requirement of folic acid and recommend supplementing a woman's diet with multivitamins or folic acid pills.

Other birth defects, such as physical, emotional and learning disabilities may be preventable because they are associated with behaviors that women can change, such as smoking, alcohol use, drug abuse and poor nutrition. Fetal alcohol syndrome, one of the leading causes of mental retardation, is 100 percent preventable. Smoking also is linked to low birthweight babies.

For additional information or to schedule a presentation to your group or organization on the importance of folic acid, call the Nassau County Department of Health at 572 -0936.