GeneSoc participates in the National Social Media Day for Folic Acid Awareness

By: Sean Timothy Gacutan (Helitron)

LOS BAÑOS, LAGUNA--Last July 18, The UPLB Genetics Society, together with the Volunteer Youth Leaders for Health, celebrated the National Social Media Day for Folic Acid Awareness. 

Folic acid or vitamin B9 can effectively reduce the risk of birth defects. Examples of some birth defects include spina bifida, where the fetal spinal column does not develop completely, and anencephaly, where a baby’s brain and skull does not form entirely. Dr. Carmencita Padilla, the national adviser of VYLH-Philippines, stated in an interview that in the Philippines, the most common birth defect is the cleft lip and palate. 

She adds that cleft lip appears as a split on the upper lip while cleft palate appears as an opening or split on the roof of the mouth. This condition appears in 1 in 500 Filipino babies. 60% of birth defects can be prevented by supplementation of folic acid. 400 micrograms of folic acid per day is recommended for women who are in the reproductive age and should be taken weeks before pregnancy. Mothers that gave birth to a baby with a birth defect must take ten times of the required dosage which is at least 4,000 micrograms. Folic acid can be found in green leafy vegetables, brown rice, grains, other food products fortified with folic acid, and in vitamin capsules and supplements.

Since taking folic acid during pregnancy might be too late to avoid the birth defects, a national awareness for the supplementation of folic acid is needed. With this, The UPLB Genetics Society with the Volunteer Youth Leaders For Health, launched a social media campaign to call for a legislation for the promotion and fortification of folic acid and to spread the knowledge on the importance of folic acid especially to women and expecting moms.

Image sources:

Birth Defects. (2017, June 27). Retrieved from:  https://www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/birthdefects/cleftlip.html

Copp, A. J., Adzick, N. S., Chitty, L. S., Fletcher, J. M., Holmbeck, G. N., & Shaw, G. M. (2015, 04). Spina bifida. Nature Reviews Disease Primers, 15007. doi:10.1038/nrdp.2015.7