During our initial trip, we learned that a major problem in Guatemala is the high incidence of pregnancies affected with neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. Folic acid is a B vitamin that has been shown to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in a pregnancy by up to 80%. Like the United States, Guatemala fortifies breads and grains with folic acid. However, most indigenous peoples grow corn to make their own tortillas, and thus do not benefit from fortification of the food supply. Additionally, those who have access to folic acid don't get the correct amount to be beneficial.
To address these issues, we've developed three projects, each targeting a different group in the community: young women, midwives, and policy makers.
Proposed Projects
- 1) Conduct a genetic and public health education module through Abriendo Oportunidades for Mayan teenage girls
- Zoë has created a workbook that will guide discussion about basic genetics, syndromes and disorders, and reproductive concerns. The goal of the lesson is to be as basic and directly applicable to their lives as possible, and will again focus on the importance of folic acid supplementation.
- 2) Meet with a group of indigenous midwives and host a discussion session
- Midwives provide the bulk of prenatal care to Mayan women in Guatemala, but most often have no formal medical education. Steph will conduct a focus group with midwives to learn more about the women’s various cultural views and midwifery practices, and lead a discussion about basic genetic information and the utility of folic acid before and during pregnancy.
- 3) Meet with the public health director of Guatemala’s Ministry of Health
- Lindsey, Gillian, Ny, and Caroline hope to learn more about folic acid distribution in Guatemala and existing community programs in order to determine how we can make folic acid more widely available to all women of childbearing age.
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