We’ll be turning the key on our newest evidence-based preconception health initiative next week.  Look for the rollout of PowerMe A2Z– which is our innovative public health campaign that promotes healthy living among young women in Arizona. The goals are to help young women to take a multivitamin with folic acid, to promote healthy eating, active living, maintaining a healthy weight, and staying away from drugs and alcohol. 

The PowerMe A2Z campaign will promote healthy living across the board, not just for women planning to have a baby. The program takes advantage of modern technology and media that Arizona women interact with on a daily basis, like Facebook and other social media.  One of our tactics will be to distribute 40,000 bottles of multivitamins with folic acid each year to young women across Arizona.  Folic acid helps to prevent serious birth defects, but also acts as a beauty aid to make hair shine, nails grow, and skin glow- a fact that we’ll be using throughout the initiative. We’ve been providing free vitamins with folic acid to prevent birth defects for women throughout the state since 2002.. but PowerMe A2Z will include new strategies in order to reach a larger number of young women.

We’re also partnering with the Arizona Pharmacy Association who is engaging their members to help spread the word about the campaign to young women. Health care providers will also talk directly with young women about healthy living and the benefits of folic acid and direct Arizona women on how they can get a “PowerMeA2Z Pack” with their free vitamins and valuable health information. For more information on how women can power their life and power their health, visit www.PowerMeA2Z.org.