St. Mary's wins grant for education about folic acid

Saint Mary's Health Network won a

$15,000 grant from the March of

Dimes to help potential parents learn

about the benefits of folic acid in preventing

birth defects.

The program also will make folic

acid available to patients through the

Saint Mary's Nell J. Redfield and Sun

Valley Clinics as well as Nevada Rural

Health Clinics.

Educational materials will be distributed

in English and Spanish, and educational

programs will target healthcare

providers and at-risk women.

Folic acid deficiency may result in

damage to the neural tube, the precursor

to the brain and spinal cord.

Because the neural tube develops so

early in pregnancy, damage can occur

before a woman knows she is pregnant.

St. Mary's recently completed another

project funded by March of Dimes.

The health system undertook a newborn

nutrition program at its Nell J.

Redfield Health Center on Neil Road.