A healthy diet is a crucial part of pregnancy for every woman and it can help prevent birth defects. Make sure you eat plenty of fruits, vegetables, and avoid foods such as raw or smoked seafood, raw shellfish, raw eggs, soft cheese, and unpasteurized milk. It is important to take a multivitamin with 400 micrograms of folic acid every day for a month before conception thoughout every pregnancy. The findings from the Smiletrain Organization,UK, confirm that folic acid has been shown to reduce the risk of neutral tube defects of the brain and spinal cord in unborn children by between 50 and 70% when taken before conception. Moreover,if taken during the first trimester, it could help reduce the risk of cleft lip and palate.