If you are pregnant or planning to get pregnant it is very important to get right amount of folic acid through your diet or from supplements.
One of the most important things you can do to help prevent serious birth defects in your baby is to get enough folic acid every day,especially before conception and during early pregnancy.
Always consult your doctor for routine tests and blood test is one of them to know the levels of folic acid in your body, it improves both your chances of getting pregnant as well as your chances of having a healthy baby. Having a healthy baby means making sure you’re healthy too.
- What is folic acid?
Folic acid is a part of the Vitamin B complex. It is vital for red blood cells and for many other cells in the body. The form of folic acid occurring naturally in food is called ‘folate’.
Folic acid, along with vitamin B12, is important for formation of red blood cells.
Folate along with other B vitamins are also vital for nerve function. Folate is essential for the formation of DNA (genetic material) within every body cell. This allows normal replication of cells.
- Folic acid deficiency
Many studies have shown, women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily before conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect (a birth defect involving incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) by up to 70%.
The most common neural tube defects are:
- Spina bifida, an incomplete closure of the spinal cord and spinal column
- Anencephaly, severe underdevelopment of the brain
- Encephalocele, when brain tissue protrudes out to the skin from an abnormal opening in the skull
All of these defects happen during the first 28 days of pregnancy usually before a woman even knows she’s pregnant.
Women need more folic acid during pregnancy and breastfeeding than they do normally. So you should continue taking folic acid all the time when you are pregnant. It is very important for all women of childbearing age to get enough folic acid not just those who are planning to become pregnant.
Doctors and scientists are not completely sure why folic acid has such a profound effect on the prevention of neural tube defects, but they do know it is crucial in the development of DNA. As a result, folic acid plays a large role in cell growth and development, as well as tissue formation.
How much folic acid should you take?
The Department of Health recommends a daily 400-micro-gram (mcg) folic acid supplement while you’re trying to get pregnant and to keep taking it for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
A higher dose is recommended for women who are treated for epilepsy, diabetes and some other medical conditions, and who also have a personal or family history of neural tube defects. In these cases a 5 milligram (mg) supplement is usually suggested. As we all know too much of anything can cause side effects too. High doses of folic acid might cause abdominal cramps, diarrhea, rash, sleep disorders, irritability, confusion, nausea, stomach upset, skin reactions and other side effects. Therefore your doctor will advise how much or whether a higher 5mg daily dose is appropriate for you or not.
You can get some folic acid from eating some foods. But it is hard to get enough folic acid from your diet. It is better to take vitamins that contain folic acid.
- grains such as whole-wheat bread.
- dark green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli.
- meat such as liver.
- beans such as lentils and kidney beans.
This was a short explanation about folic acid and how it plays an important role before and throughout pregnancy. As we all know it is never too late, if you are planning a pregnancy get up and schedule an appointment with your doctor. Wish you a happy and healthy pregnancy 
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