§ Mr. CarringtonTo ask the Secretary of State for Health when she expects the chief medical officer's expert advisory group on folic acid to report its findings; and if she will make a statement.
§ Mr. SackvilleWe are pleased to announce the publication today of the group's report, "Folic Acid and the Prevention of Neural Tube Defects".
The report endorses existing advice that women who have already had a baby with a neural tube defect should take a diet supplement of 5 mg of folic acid daily—or 4 mg if such a preparation becomes available—from the time when they wish to become pregnant until the end of the 421W third month of pregnancy. Additionally, the expert group has recommended that, to reduce the risk of having a first baby with a neural tube defect, all women who are likely to become pregnant should increase their intake of folic acid/folate throughout this same period. This particular B vitamin is available from certain foods in the form of folate. In addition, some foods are fortified with folic acid. Such women are also advised to take a 0.4 mg folic acid food supplement daily until the 12th week of pregnancy.
We welcome this opportunity to reduce the risk of women giving birth to babies with a neural tube defect. The United Kingdom chief medical and nursing officers are ensuring that the advice reaches all doctors, senior nurses, midwives and health visitors. However, all women need to be aware of these recommendations as, in most cases, they will need to consider taking extra folic acid/folate before they have become pregnant.
We are arranging for copies of the report to be placed in the Library.