HR0450 LRB095 12227 KXB 36599 r

1
HOUSE RESOLUTION

 
2     WHEREAS, Birth defects are the leading cause of infant
3 mortality in the United States; and
 
4     WHEREAS, 2,500 babies are born each year in the United
5 States with a neural tube defect such as anencephaly or spina
6 bifida; and
 
7     WHEREAS, Anencephaly is a fatal condition in which a baby
8 is born with a severely underdeveloped brain and skull; and
 
9     WHEREAS, Spina bifida affects the backbone and, sometimes,
10 the spinal cord, and children with the severe form of spina
11 bifida have some degree of leg paralysis and bladder and bowel
12 control problems; and
 
13     WHEREAS, Sufficient amounts of folic acid, a B vitamin, in
14 a woman's diet before and during pregnancy can reduce the risk
15 of neural tube defect; and
 
16     WHEREAS, Studies have shown that up to 70 percent of these
17 cases could be prevented if women consumed at least 400
18 micrograms of folic acid before they become pregnant and during
19 early pregnancy; and
 

 

 

HR0450 - 2 - LRB095 12227 KXB 36599 r

1     WHEREAS, In accordance with the United States Public Health
2 Service and Institute of Medicine, the March of Dimes suggests
3 that all women of child bearing age consume a multi-vitamin
4 containing 400 micrograms of folic acid daily as part of a
5 healthy diet; and
 
6     WHEREAS, Although 84 percent of women of childbearing age
7 have heard of folic acid, only 33 percent take a multi-vitamin
8 and only 7 percent know it should be taken before pregnancy;
9 and
 
10     WHEREAS, Studies suggest that folic acid may help prevent
11 some other birth defects, including cleft lip and palate and
12 birth defects involving the heart and limbs and also may help
13 prevent heart disease and stroke; therefore, be it
 
14     RESOLVED, BY THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES OF THE
15 NINETY-FIFTH GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF THE STATE OF ILLINOIS, that we
16 urge all regional Superintendents of Schools in the State of
17 Illinois to distribute information to schools in their region
18 on the importance of folic acid; and be it further
 
19     RESOLVED, That the Regional Superintendents of Schools
20 distribute information that indicates the March of Dimes, whose
21 website is www.marchofdimes.com, and the Center for Disease
22 Control (CDC), whose website is www.cdc.gov, as resources for

 

 

HR0450 - 3 - LRB095 12227 KXB 36599 r

1 free material, literature, and model lesson plans on Folic Acid
2 and proper nutrition; and be it further
 
3     RESOLVED, That a suitable copy of this resolution be
4 delivered to each Regional Superintendent of Schools in the
5 State of Illinois.