PREGNANT women who take the recommended folic acid supplements may be more
likely to have twins, say researchers in Sweden. The supplements cut the risk of
birth defects, but twins have their own problems—they are more likely to
be premature, have low birth weights and suffer from cerebral palsy.
Many women take the vitamin folic acid before and during pregnancy to reduce
the risk that their babies will have neural-tube defects, such as spina bifida.
In the US, the compulsory addition of folic acid to breakfast cereals and
wholemeal bread since 1998 has reduced the incidence of spina bifida…
