Partners
It is hard to reach every woman across the nation who could possibly become pregnant. That is why the CDC works with partners, communities and individual advocates across the country, to help raise awareness and promote folic acid efforts for the prevention of serious birth defects.
The goal from all our partners is to reach women who could possibly become pregnant. Research has helped identify two target groups of women who could become pregnant and need to learn the folic acid message: those planning a pregnancy and those not planning a pregnancy.
Current Partners
The National Council on Folic Acid (NCFA)
The National Council on Folic Acid (NCFA) is a partnership of national organizations and associations, state folic acid councils and government agencies whose mission is to improve health by promoting the benefits and consumption of folic acid.
Spina Bifida Association
The Spina Bifida Association (SBA) is dedicated to enhancing the lives of those with spina bifida and those whose lives are touched by this challenging birth defect through education, advocacy, research, and service.
Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies (HMHB)
Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies strives to improve the health and safety of mothers, babies, and families through educational materials and collaborative partnerships. State and Local HMHB Chapters
Partner Spotlight
Zipatly Mendoza, Office Chief at the Arizona Health Disparities Center, Arizona Department of Health Services
In late 2008, the mayor of Phoenix, Arizona, announced a call-to-action to reduce birth defects. The goal: make people more aware of the need to take multivitamins containing folic acid to reduce the risk for neural tube defects (NTDs), especially among Latina women of childbearing age. The plan: create and implement a campaign in Arizona that would resonate with target audiences.
That campaign, led by the Arizona Department of Health Services (ADHS) in partnership with the March of Dimes, required a well-coordinated, thoroughly researched approach. Zipatly Mendoza, Office Chief at the Arizona Health Disparities Center, ADHS, and Claudia Sloan, Special Projects Administrator at the Division of Behavioral Health Services, called on their collective experiences to develop and implement the campaign.
Resource Guides and Tools
- Preventing Neural Tube Birth Defects: A Prevention Model and Resource Guide - This guide is intended for campaign partners to help with developing a prevention campaign.
- Media Campaign Implementation Kit [PDF English]
Health Communication Materials
CDC's Office of Communication's HealthComm KEY database contains summaries of recent journal articles relating to health communication research and practice. Additional books, articles, journals, websites and other sources that may be useful to individuals interested in health communications are listed in this database http://cfusion.sph.emory.edu/PHCI/Users/LogIn.cfm
DISCLAIMER: Products shown and links to organizations outside of CDC are included for information only. CDC has is not responsible for the information at these sites. Views and opinions of these organizations are not necessarily those of CDC, the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), or the U.S. Public Health Service (PHS).
Contact Us:
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
National Center on Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
Division of Birth Defects and Developmental Disabilities
1600 Clifton Road
MS E-87
Atlanta, GA 30333 - 800-CDC-INFO
(800-232-4636)
TTY: (888) 232-6348
New Hours of Operation
8am-8pm ET/Monday-Friday
Closed Holidays - cdcinfo@cdc.gov
flo@cdc.gov
