Folic acid-fortified food could prevent birth heart defects

A new UBC study suggests adding folic acid to food could help reduce birth heart defects, reports Tech Times.

Canada started fortifying cornmeal and all varieties of flour in 1998. The researchers examined data on six million births between 1990 and 2011 in the country and found a link between the start of food fortification and an 11 per cent decrease in heart defects at birth.

Women planning for pregnancy should consider taking folic acid supplements to obtain the required amount of folate that may not be present in their diets, said senior study author Dr. K.S. Joseph.

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