Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what assessment they have made of the case for introducing a Birth Defects Prevention Month and a Folic Acid Awareness Week, such as those that take place in the United States of America, and of the potential effects of such a step on public health and the economy.

The Government currently has no plans to introduce a folic acid awareness week or a Birth Defects Prevention Month.

In line with National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) guidelines, women are advised to take an additional 400 micrograms of folic acid as a supplement, ideally from several weeks before conception until the 12th week of pregnancy, in order to reduce the risk of a neural tube defect affected pregnancy. The NICE guidelines, Maternal and child nutrition, are attached.

This information is also available on the NHS Choices website.