From the Manufacturer:
Folic Acid (Vitamin B9) is a water-soluble vitamin from the B-complex of vitamins and is the most common deficiency amongst the B-complex. Because it is water-soluble the body cannot store it but instead excretes any excess from the body making sufficient daily intake necessary.
In the body, Folic Acid plays several important roles. Along with Vitamin B12, Folic Acid works to regulate the formation of red blood cells and to help iron function properly in the body. Folic Acid works with Vitamin C and B12 to metabolize protein. It is also important for its use in the formation of the nucleic acid of DNA and RNA.
Folic Acid is vital for women who are pregnant or planning to get pregnant. Research has shown that Folic Acid plays an important role in the development of the fetus and in the prevention of several different birth defects, including cleft lip and palate but most notably neural tube defects (NTDs). When taken from one year to one month before conception until four months into the pregnancy, Folic Acid reduces the occurrence of NTDs by 50-70%.