Multivitamin use prior to pregnancy in Rhode Island.

eaCh year in the united StateS, an estimated 3,000 pregnancies are affected by neural tube defects (NTDs), including spina bifida (an incomplete closure of the spinal cord and spinal column) and anencephaly (severe underdevelopment of the brain). NTDs are among the most common birth defects that contribute to perinatal mortality, infant mortality, and serious disability in surviving children. Research indicates that daily consumption of 400 mcg of folic acid before pregnancy through the first trimester can reduce the occurrence of NTDs by 50%-70%, and some birth defects other than NTDs. Although folic acid can be obtained from foods rich in naturally occurring folates or fortifying foods, not all women obtain adequate levels of folic acid through their diets. Therefore, the United States Public Health Service (PHS) and Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend that all women of childbearing age who are planning on or capable of becoming pregnant take a daily multivitamin, which generally contains the recommended daily allowance of 400mcg of folic acid, to reduce their risk of having a pregnancy affected with NTDs. The purpose of this report is to 1) describe the trends in daily use of multivitamins prior to pregnancy among Rhode Island women with a live birth, and 2) identify disparities in preconception multivitamin use among subpopulations.