Folic acid cuts heart defect risk for babies

Folic acid dramatically cuts the risk of heart problems in unborn children, scientists revealed today.

A new study shows that women trying for a baby who take the supplement form of vitamin B9 can reduce the chance of foetal defects by more than a third.

This includes preventing problems such as heart murmurs and holes in the heart.

The study was published today at the American Heart Association conference in New Orleans.

Dutch scientists found that mothers who used adequate folic acid supplements were 18 per cent less likely to have a child with heart problems.

The risk reduction was 38 per cent for holes in the heart and 23 per cent for defects of the heart arteries.

Folic acid also reduces the chance of serious birth defects affecting the brain or spine.