Maybe you’re thinking about the possibility of one day having a baby or perhaps you have already made your decision and are now planning your first (or next) pregnancy and are wondering about taking folic acid.
Folic Acid for Baby Development
The reason why folic acid is often recommended for pregnancy is not due to a health fad but due to clear scientific evidence that it works in reducing certain birth defects.
Folic acid which helps make new DNA & helps form blood cells, can help an unborn baby’s brain, skull and spinal cord development.
Deficiencies in folic acid can lead to neural tube defects which affect the brain, spine, or spinal cord.
One of the most common defects is spina bifida (a spinal cord defect) which affects 1 in every 1,000 pregnancies. Spina bifida means that the spine and spinal cord didn’t develop properly. Thanks to modern medicine most babies with this condition do go on to live to become adults and live full lives.
As per NHS guidance, it is recommended that women take folic acid up to 12 weeks of pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects.
The Timing is Important
In an ideal scenario folic acid should be taken in the first 6 weeks of pregnancy in particular and up to 12 weeks in total. The problem here is that most women don’t know they are pregnant in the first weeks!
Leading up to planning a pregnancy it’s recommended by nutritionists that women have a daily intake of folic acid even before pregnancy for about 2-3 months. Some governments even add folic acid to bread as they are aware of the fact that a lot of pregnancies go unplanned.
In Australia for example, the government introduced mandatory folic acid supplementation by companies in all wheat-based products! SO the people are increasing their intake by eating the most common of daily foods such as bread! Since this change in legislation in 2007 there was a staggering 14.4% decrease in the rate of Neural Tube Defects!
But don’t fret if you didn’t manage to take this before pregnancy or in the first weeks, at the end of the day the chances of these defects are still low, it’s just important to supplement if you can as to lessen any chances!
How Much Folic Acid is Right?
The recommended dose is ca. 400-600 micrograms. It’s important to check that you are not B12 deficient before starting folic acid.
Make sure as always with supplements to check with your GP if you are unsure. Generally speaking folate is safe for most people but if you have any medical conditions please contact your doctor and check before taking folic acid, in particular if you have cancer, a history of B12 deficiencies or are on kidney dialysis.
