• While folic acid use is important for everyone, there are some people in which the risk is higher than the general population. For these women, using folic acid is even more important.
  • For these women, the risks are higher, AND there may be changes in the recommendations (often the recommended dose will be higher). If a woman is in one of these high risks groups, she should discuss folic acid recommendations with her doctor.

General Population 04. – 0.8 mg/day

Increased risk

1. Previous pregnancy with NTD4 mg/day

2. Close relative with NTD4 mg/day

3. Women with epilepsy on valproate or carbamazepine1-2 mg/day

4. Women with IDDM4 mg/day

  • Some of the known ‘high risk groups’ are:
  • Women with diabetes
  • Women who are significantly overweight
  • Women who have epilepsy (seizures / seizure disorder)
  • Women taking medications for seizures, mood changes (including depression) and behaviors
    • Bipolar
    • List some meds… depakote
  • Women who have had a previous child with one of the folic acid responsive birth defects. 
  • Women with a positive family history of one of the folic acid responsive birth defects.