The National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition (HMHB) and the Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) have launched the Commitment project, an initiative designed to encourage brides-to-be to make a vow of health to their future children.

Specifically, the effort involves a commitment to taking a daily multivitamin with 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid, an essential B-vitamin that helps build and maintain healthy cells, particularly in developing fetuses.

According to the U.S. Public Health Service, all women of childbearing age should consume 400 mcg of folic acid a day—one of the easiest ways to do this is by taking a daily multivitamin containing 400 mcg of folic acid. Studies have shown that if taken before and during early pregnancy, folic acid can significantly reduce the number of birth defects of the brain and spine called neural tube defects (NTDs) by up to 70%.

“Half of all pregnancies in the U.S. are unplanned,” said Judy Meehan, executive director, HMHB. “As she’s making a commitment to a new life with her husband, the bride-to-be needs to consider the very real possibility that this might include a child and it may be sooner than she thinks.”

The Commitment project will include outreach to bridal publications and women’s media outlets, including a series of e-postcards, accessible at the websites of the Council for Responsible Nutrition—www.crnusa.org/commitment—and the National Healthy Mothers, Healthy Babies Coalition—www.hmhb.org.

“Getting married is about making a commitment to a new family,” said Judy Blatman, senior vice president, communications, CRN. “The bride-to-be needs to make a commitment to her own health, as well as her future children’s health, and make sure she’s getting the recommended amount of folic acid. A multivitamin with 400 mcg of folic acid provides an affordable and convenient way to help protect brides-to-be who may soon become mothers-to-be.”