Leavened green vegetables, legumes, and fruits all contain folic acid (a water-soluble vitamin). Many fortified foods, such as breakfast cereals and breads, include it. Folic acid is vital for women because it helps to prevent birth abnormalities of the brain and spine. Women of childbearing age should take 400 micrograms of folic acid (a type of folic acid) per day. Getting enough folate in your diet or taking a multivitamin with folate is one way to do this.
Why is folic acid important before and during pregnancy?
Folic acid is important in women’s health both before and during pregnancy. It helps keep the blood healthy, which is especially important during pregnancy when the blood volume increases dramatically. Folic acid can help prevent some birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine. Folic acid can also help reduce the risk of miscarriage. Even if a woman is not expecting to get pregnant, she should take a multivitamin that contains folic acid. Some good sources of folic acid include leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fortified foods.
What are the health benefits of taking folic acid while pregnant?
Pregnant women should get adequate folic acid to avoid neural tube abnormalities (NTDs) in their unborn child’s brain development. NTDs are birth defects that affect the brain, spine or spinal cord. The most common NTDs are spina bifida and encephalocele.
Mouth and lip defects can also be prevented by taking folic acid during pregnancy. Folic acid helps to form the neural tube, which becomes the baby’s brain and spinal cord. Women should begin folic acid supplementation even before they get pregnant because up to 70% of pregnancies are not intended. Folic acid can also help to prevent premature births and low birth weight babies.
How to make sure you’re getting enough folic acid in your diet?
Food is the best way to get your daily dose of folic acid. Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin and it is mainly found in leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fortified foods. The recommended intake for adults is 400 micrograms (mcg) per day, but pregnant women need 600 mcg per day to prevent birth defects of the brain and spine.
To acquire enough folic acid each day, consume a diversified diet rich in fruits and vegetables. Some foods that are especially good sources of folic acid include leafy green vegetables such as spinach and broccoli, legumes such as black beans and lentils, nuts such as almonds and peanuts, fortified breakfast cereal, and orange juice.
If you’re not getting enough folic acid from foods alone, you may need to take a supplement.
Folic acid: How much do you need and why?
Around half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, and many women don’t realize they’re pregnant until they’re several weeks along. A multivitamin supplement that contains 400 mcg of folic acid is essential for all pregnant women.
You may also need higher doses of folic acid if you have
- kidney disease
- sickle cell disease
- have liver disease
- drink more than one alcoholic beverage daily
- take medications to treat epilepsy, type 2 diabetes, lupus, psoriasis, rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, or inflammatory bowel disease
What happens if you don’t take folic acid during pregnancy?
To prevent significant birth abnormalities in the baby’s brain and spine, pregnant women should take folic acid. For example, Spina bifida and Anencephaly are both examples of neural tube abnormalities.
Anencephaly is a birth defect where the baby’s brain does not form properly and this can lead to the baby dying shortly after birth.
When a baby’s spinal cord doesn’t close properly, it may cause problems with mobility, bladder control, and even paralysis. During the first few weeks of pregnancy, folic acid supplementation can help the development of the foetal neural tube.
Final Words
In conclusion, taking folic acid supplements during pregnancy has many hidden benefits that can help keep both the mother and child healthy. It is important to take these supplements to help prevent birth defects, such as spina bifida, and to ensure a healthy pregnancy. Pregnant women should consult with their doctor to determine the best dosage of folic acid for them, and to make sure they are getting all the other necessary nutrients for a healthy pregnancy.