Whether you're already expecting -- or just planning to be -- taking the right vitamins can help ensure a healthy baby. One of the most important for you and your baby is folic acid. Up to 70 percent of all neural tube defects (NTDs) -- birth defects of the brain and spine -- could be prevented if every woman of childbearing age took folic acid daily.

Folic acid is a member of the B-vitamin family. Folic acid, sometimes called folate, is a B vitamin (B9) found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, orange juice, and enriched grains, and is available in synthetic form in vitamin pills. Fortified breakfast cereals, enriched grain products, and vitamins contain a synthetic form of folic acid. The synthetic form is more easily absorbed by your body than the natural form.

Repeated studies have shown that women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily prior to conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect (a birth defect involving incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) by up to 70%.

The most common neural tube defects are spina bifida (an incomplete closure of the spinal cord and spinal column), anencephaly (severe underdevelopment of the brain), and encephalocele (when brain tissue protrudes out to the skin from an abnormal opening in the skull). All of these defects occur during the first 28 days of pregnancy - usually before a woman even knows she's pregnant. That's why it's so important for all women of childbearing age to get enough folic acid - not just those who are planning to become pregnant. Only 50% of pregnancies are planned, so any woman who could become pregnant should make sure she's getting enough folic acid. Doctors and scientists still aren't completely sure why folic acid has such a profound effect on the prevention of neural tube defects, but they do know that this vitamin is crucial in the development of DNA. As a result, folic acid plays a large role in cell growth and development, as well as tissue formation.

Not only does folic acid combat these NTDs, but it may also help keep your baby from developing a heart defect, cleft lip, or cleft palate.

Additionally, a pregnant woman needs folic acid to help support the rapid growth of the placenta and fetus. The nutrient aids in baby's DNA production. Cell division and fetal growth can become impaired without it. One study found that women with folic acid deficiencies were two to three times more likely to have a premature baby or a baby of low birth weight than those who got enough of the vitamin.

Boost Your Intake

All women consume at least 400 micrograms of the synthetic form a day, and that pregnant women consume 600 micrograms, either from a prenatal vitamin or multivitamin, or by consuming a fortified breakfast cereal that contains 400 micrograms of folic acid in one bowl.

Foods that are rich in folates include:

• Fruits and fruit juices
• Leafy green vegetables
• Bean
• Chickpeas
• Lima beans
• Asparagus
• Peas
• Peanuts
• Sunflower seeds
• Wheat germ

In addition, some foods are fortified with folic acid that your body can absorb more easily than natural folates. Foods that may be labeled "enriched" (required to have 140 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams of grain) include:

• Breakfast cereals
• Pasta
• Rice
• Bread

If you've already had a baby with an NTD, consult your doctor about how much folic acid you should take before your next pregnancy. Studies have shown that taking a larger dose (4 milligrams) beginning at least one month before pregnancy and during the first trimester reduces the risk of having another affected pregnancy by about 70 percent.