Tag: Lucy wills

Over 40% of pregnant women worldwide are anemic, a condition often linked to iron deficiency. In response to this widespread public health issue, the World Health Organization (WHO) and other key institutions developed and issued global guidelines recommending iron and folic acid supplementation.

In 1931, researcher Lucy Wills observed a nutrient found in brewer's yeast could cure macrocytic anemia in pregnant women in India, kickstarting the journey to discover where did folic acid come from. This groundbreaking finding would eventually lead to the isolation and synthesis of this critical B vitamin and revolutionize prenatal care and public health.