11.01.08
The National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) and the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), Washington, D.C., have launched the Commitment project, an initiative designed to encourage brides-to-be to make a vow of health to their future children. The effort involves a commitment to taking a daily multivitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid, an essential B vitamin that helps build and maintain healthy cells, particularly in developing fetuses. According to the U.S. Public Health Service, all women of childbearing age should consume 400 mcg of folic acid a day. Studies have shown that if taken before and during early pregnancy, folic acid can significantly reduce the number of birth defects of the brain and spine—neural tube defects (NTDs)—by up to 70%. The Commitment project will include outreach to bridal publications and women’s media outlets, including a series of e-postcards.