Nearly all major U.S. public health organizations recommend that pregnant women take vitamin supplements containing folic acid. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, mothers-to-be should get more than the dose typically recommended for average adults – that is, more than 400 micrograms. But why?

Besides reducing the risk of neural tube defects in newborns, folate may also improve a child’s later cognitive health, according to a study appearing in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Specifically, scientists determined that children born to mothers who took folate over the four weeks before and eight weeks after conception had one-half the risk of mild cognitive impairment, compared to those kids whose mothers took no vitamin supplements.

This is in addition to the standard health benefits attributed to regular folate supplementation. Researchers expressed enthusiasm over their findings.

“If in future research this relationship were shown to be causal, it would have important implications for understanding the biological processes underlying disrupted neurodevelopment…and for policies of folic acid supplementation for women of reproductive age,” said Ezra Susser, the study’s senior author.

For those interested in maintaining good health in any stage of life, it may be helpful to look into the vitamin supplement options available in the grocery store and online.