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January 22, 2002

Purdue Student Wellness Office to launch folic acid campaign

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue Student Wellness Office is working with the March of Dimes to encourage women on campus to take a multivitamin containing folic acid.

The office will conduct a folic acid awareness campaign Jan. 28-31.

Sue Abney, folic acid campaign coordinator for the Student Wellness Office, says regularly taking multivitamins with 400 micrograms of folic acid can reduce neural tube birth defects by as much as 70 percent. According to the Center for Disease Control, approximately two-thirds of women in the United States do not consume enough folic acid, found in citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, peanuts, fortified breakfast cereals and enriched whole grain products.

The March of Dimes says that since half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and most women do not know they are pregnant during the first few weeks of fetal development when birth defects may occur, it is important that all women of childbearing age take a daily multivitamin.

The Student Wellness Office plans to deliver this message by distributing posters, pamphlets and green ribbons with the March of Dimes logo pin to residence halls, sororities and nursing classes. Information also will be distributed along with prescriptions filled by women at the university student health center.

The March of Dimes contributed $2,000 for the campaign.

CONTACT: Sue Abney, (765) 494-1716; Ann Skadberg, March of Dimes Indiana Chapter division director, (765) 448-6641.

Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu


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