Doctors of USC

The results of birth defects can be devastating, yet many defects need never happen. Between 70 and 80 percent of birth defects may be prevented if women get enough folic acid in their diet early in pregnancy, said Melvin Baron, assistant dean for programmatic advancement in the School of Pharmacy. Folic acid also appears to play a role in cardiovascular health and cancer prevention.

So Baron and Robin D. Clark, director of the cancer genetics unit at USC/Norris Comprehensive Cancer Center, have created a program to take the folic acid message into local high schools.

Through the grant, pharmacy and medical students and faculty members will work with 25 teachers from those schools. They will put on curriculum development workshops to increase knowledge about folic acid.

Without getting into issues of birth control or sexual behavior, the USC instructors will discuss the importance of nutrition. "Any woman of child-bearing age should be taking 400 micrograms of folic acid daily," Baron says.

Folic acid is relatively inexpensive and often is included in multivitamin supplements. Birth defects usually occur within the first 28 days of a woman's pregnancy, but most women do not see a doctor until after that time period. So, by the time they usually start taking folic acid for pregnancy, it is too late to reap the beneficial effects of the vitamin on the fetus. And considering that one half of all pregnancies are unplanned, Baron says, taking folic acid regularly is a good idea.

The vitamin also is important for overall wellness. Studies have linked folic acid deficiency not only to defects in DNA synthesis (tied to birth defects) but also to defects in DNA repair. That may contribute to or promote cancer. Mild deficiencies also can lead to elevated homocysteine in the blood--a condition that may be associated with atherosclerosis and blood clots.