The high school nurse is teaching a healthy living class to high school seniors.One student asks why she should take folic acid now when she is not planning to become pregnant.Which response by the nurse is the most appropriate?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Neural tube defects (NTDs)generally occur between the 18th and 28th days of pregnancy,often before the woman knows she is pregnant.All women of childbearing age should get 400 µg/day of folic acid to help prevent NTDs.It is a good habit to get into prior to contemplating pregnancy,but this answer does not give specific information.Most people do not have a serious deficiency of folic acid; however,pregnant women (and those who could be pregnant)need to have a minimal amount of folic acid.Several foods are good sources of folic acid,including green leafy vegetables,liver,legumes,orange juice,and fortified breakfast cereals; it is also contained in multivitamins.

The High School Nurse Is Teaching a Healthy Living Class