Folic acid is a B vitamin that occurs naturally in the foods we eat every day. If taken before conception and up to the twelfth week of pregnancy it can help to protect unborn babies against conditions such as spina bifida and other neural tube defects (NTDs).

In 1998 the HPA was commissioned by the Department of Health and Social Services to develop a public information campaign to highlight the importance of folic acid. The campaign 'Folic acid - one of life's essentials', was launched in October that year. An evaluation of the campaign showed it to be very successful in raising awareness of folic acid and its benefits among the target group.

In November 2000 the first all-island public information campaign was launched by the Minister for Health, Social Services and Public Safety,
Ms Bairbre de Brún and the Minister for Health and Children, in the Republic of Ireland, Micheál Martin TD to raise awareness of folic acid.

In October 2001 the HPA's public information campaign on folic acid reached the finals of the Health Service Journal (HSJ) Management Awards. From hundreds of entries from across the UK, the campaign was shortlisted to the final three in the Award's communications category.