In 1997, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) convened a group that became the National Council on Folic Acid (NCFA) as a coalition of organizations working to reduce the rate of neural tube defects through folic acid education.

In the United States, approximately 4000 pregnancies are affected by neural tube defects each year; 50%-70% of these developmental defects could be prevented with daily intake of 400 ug of the B vitamin folic acid throughout the periconceptional period.

In 1998, the Institute of Medicine recommended that all women of childbearing potential consume 400 ug of synthetic folic acid per day from fortified foods and/or a supplement in addition to food folate from a varied diet.

The findings indicate that 7% of women know folic acid should be taken before pregnancy to reduce the risk for neural tube defects.