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<p>Public Health England (PHE) strongly encourages women to take a folic acid supplement
from before they are pregnant to the 12th week of pregnancy, to reduce the risk of
having a baby with a neural tube defect. This advice is included in public health
messages around pregnancy and planning a pregnancy.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>National
Institute for Health and Care Excellence guidance states that advice on folic acid
supplementation should be provided as part of antenatal care at first contact with
a healthcare professional. Advice on folic acid supplementation for women who are
pregnant or planning a pregnancy, is disseminated through a variety of sources including
the NHS Choices website, the NHS Information Service for Parents, the charity ‘Tommy’s’,
and Start4Life - PHE’s campaign to give babies the best start in life and reduce the
risk of poor health in the future.</p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>PHE has recently
established a media partnership to communicate the key healthy behaviour messages
prior to conception in more mainstream women’s magazine media.</p><p> </p><p><strong>
</strong></p><p> </p><p>In addition, the Department has commissioned the Behavioural
Insights Team to look at innovative approaches to raising awareness of the need to
take folic acid supplements during pregnancy. This programme of work is scheduled
for completion by the end of January 2015.</p><p> </p><p><strong> </strong></p><p>
</p><p><strong> </strong></p><p> </p>
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