Folic Acid Awareness Week

Categories:: Health
Tags:: Healthy Food
Where:: United States
Date change rule:: Week starting with the 2nd Sunday of September
Holiday emoji:: 💚

Folic Acid Awareness Week, observed annually in mid-September, brings critical attention to this essential B vitamin. It’s especially important for women who are pregnant or may become pregnant, as adequate intake can prevent serious birth defects. Discover how to incorporate more folic acid into your diet and support public health initiatives.

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Expected Folic Acid Awareness Week Deals

During Folic Acid Awareness Week, the focus shifts from commercial deals to crucial awareness and fundraising efforts. Organizations like the March of Dimes and the National Birth Defects Prevention Network (NBDPN) partner with healthcare providers and community groups to host educational events, webinars, and public health campaigns. Look for opportunities to donate to these vital causes, participate in virtual walks, or support local clinics offering prenatal health resources. Some prenatal vitamin brands like Bayer (makers of One A Day Prenatal) and food companies such as General Mills and Kellogg’s, which fortify their products, may highlight their commitment to public health. We will update this page with confirmed live events and awareness drives as September approaches.

Platform Guide for Folic Acid Awareness Week

Instagram

Tag @nationaltoday_ and use #FolicAcidAwareness. Share infographics on folate-rich foods or short videos explaining its benefits for healthy pregnancies.

Facebook

Mention National Today (facebook.com/nationaltoday) and use #FolicAcidAwarenessWeek. Post links to reliable health resources, host Q&A sessions with health experts, or share personal stories.

X/Twitter

Mention @NatlToday and use #FolicAcidAwareness. Share quick facts, links to CDC guidelines, and participate in trending health conversations around prenatal care.

Folic Acid Awareness Week Hero

Dr. Lucy Wills

Dr. Lucy Wills (1888–1964) was a pioneering British hematologist whose groundbreaking research in India in the 1920s identified a nutritional factor, later named folate, essential for preventing macrocytic anemia in pregnant women. Her work laid the foundation for understanding the critical role of folic acid in maternal health and fetal development, ultimately leading to recommendations for its supplementation to prevent birth defects.

History of Folic Acid Awareness Week

Folic Acid Awareness Week has been recognized as a part of the CDC-backed National Birth Defects Prevention Month since 1997. The CDC and NBDPN hold an annual joint convention to review the information gathered on birth defects during the year prior and to share new scientific discoveries, successful medical practices, and natal wellness in general. The yearly report may use words like “surveillance,” but that only refers to data collection in general, not surreptitious observation of unknowing mothers-to-be. The idea is that the more information is collated and analyzed, the more medical professionals will be able to help families give birth to healthy, alert, and button-cute babies.

The quick-reference number for the amount of folic acid or vitamin B9 (and we like how that sounds like, ‘benign,’ don’t you?) that women should consume each day is 400 micrograms. But that can be intimidating to measure and keep track of on your own. An expecting mother should routinely check with her doctor, who can fine-tune those levels for the optimal health of mother and fetus. And just as with every other regimen, like fitness, studying, or learning a new skill at work, your folic acid intake and monitoring will become second nature. If there’s a partner who’s pregnant with you, you may find that cooking vitamin-rich natural meals is enjoyable in its own right, so that you barely have to think about folic acid. There’s lots of other stuff to be aware of, without a doubt.

But this week, we urge you to pay strict attention to this one preventative measure. Not only that, but spread the word to friends and family who may not have the current information. An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, especially when certain defects have no cure at all!

Folic Acid Awareness Week timeline

1998

“If it is broken, do fix it!”

Folic acid increasingly makes an appearance in common foods, as it’s artificially added to enriched flour, rice, pasta, and bread in the U.S.

1970s

Guess what’s in your multivitamin now!

Some supplement companies started launching vitamins that contained B9.

1931

Where there’s a “Wills,” there’s a way

Dr. Lucy Wills first discovered that folate was needed in order to prevent anemia in pregnancy, thus launching further research into the importance of folic acid.

1600s

Proto-anatomy

The textbook, "Tabulae Anatomicae," written by Christianus Welsch, mentioned spina bifida for the first time in print.

How Businesses Can Celebrate Folic Acid Awareness Week

Local businesses can support Folic Acid Awareness Week by promoting healthy eating and education. Grocery stores can highlight folate-rich produce and fortified grains with special displays and informational flyers. Pharmacies can offer discounts on prenatal vitamins containing folic acid and provide consultation on proper dosage. Healthcare clinics can host free educational seminars or distribute informative brochures to their patients, emphasizing the importance of early and consistent intake for women of childbearing age.

Folic Acid Awareness Week FAQs

When is Folic Acid Awareness Week?

Folic Acid Awareness Week 2026 runs from Sunday, September 13 through Saturday, September 19, highlighting the importance of this vital nutrient for public health.

How does folic acid prevent birth defects?

If taken before conception and during early pregnancy, folic acid can prevent up to 70% of certain neural tube defects, which are serious birth defects affecting the brain and spine.

How much folic acid is recommended daily?

For women of childbearing age, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily to help prevent birth defects, even if not actively planning pregnancy.

What foods are rich in folic acid?

Many foods are fortified with folic acid, including enriched breads, cereals, and pasta. Natural sources of folate (the form found in food) include leafy green vegetables like spinach, citrus fruits, beans, and nuts.

How to Observe Folic Acid Awareness Week

Learn about birth defects and their prevention.
As we’ve seen, lack of folic acid can lead to some unfortunate and serious neural tube defects in unborn babies. Take the time to better inform yourself about the ways in which some defects can be prevented. Knowledge is power.
Spread the word on social media.
Help call attention to National Folic Acid Awareness Week by giving it some love on your socials. The more people who know about the importance of folic acid, the better. (Hint: Official social media “kits” can be found on the .gov sites that focus on folic acid.)
Incorporate more folic acid into your diet.
We all can benefit from a little extra folic acid in our diets. Luckily, getting this important B vitamin is pretty darn easy. There are a ton of multivitamins out there that contain folic acid, and many foods like grains, pasta, and cereals are fortified with folic acid. We’ll share a hot tip with you: cooked broccoli actually contains more B9 than raw broccoli does!

5 AMAZING FACTS ABOUT B VITAMINS

There are eight types of B vitamin
These include thiamin, riboflavin, niacin, and more, as well as folic acid, and they are all water-soluble and unable to be stored well by the human body.
We can “B” in the majority
Our bodies need a total of thirteen vitamins, and since the “B-complex” makes up eight of those, it’s arguably accurate to say that they’re the most needed.
Broccoli: the exception that proves the rule
B vitamins dissolve in water and are easily destroyed by things like heat or alcohol.
“Don’t try this at home”
It’s important not to try to self-diagnose a vitamin deficiency – the reason for this is that if you do so, and then conclude that the cure is to take larger doses of your vitamins, you run the risk of toxicity, depending on the specific vitamin and the amount of overdose.
Attention, vegans!
Vitamin B12 (cyanocobalamin), which has a close relationship with folic acid, only comes from animal sources unless you take it in a supplement.

WHY NATIONAL FOLIC ACID AWARENESS WEEK IS IMPORTANT

Folic acid makes healthy babies
Babies are serious business. According to the CDC, a pregnant mom who gets adequate amounts of folic acid reduces the risk of spina bifida and anencephaly by around 70 percent. That's definitely a reason to pop a prenatal vitamin!
It brings attention to birth defects
Folic Acid Awareness Week draws attention to the seriousness of birth defects. Let's do our part to reduce the chances of babies being born with some possibly preventable illnesses.
It encourages women to start taking folic acid before becoming pregnant
A ton of crucial fetal development happens within the first few weeks of pregnancy, a time when many moms-to-be usually have no idea that they are even expecting. Doctors typically encourage women of childbearing age to either take a multivitamin or eat foods rich in folic acid before becoming pregnant.