(4) Food fortification was deemed mandatory due to overwhelming evidence for the protective effect of
folic acid supplementation before conception and during early pregnancy on the development of neural tube defects (NTD) in newborns.
Folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy in the Newborn Epigenetics STudy (NEST).
Additionally, several large studies have linked
folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy with decreased rates of neural - tube defects, serious and life - threatening birth defects of the baby's brain, spine, or spinal cord.
Several large studies have also linked
folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy with decreased rates of neural - tube defects, which are serious and life - threatening defects of a baby's brain, spine, or spinal cord.