Folic Acid For Pregnancy Planning

Learn more about folic acid 4.

Folic acid for pregnancy planning. Folic acid is a vitamin b9. A baby s spine develops fully during the first month of pregnancy. Women of child bearing age should take extra folate daily to prevent neural tube defects such as spina bifida. You should take a 400 microgram supplement of folic acid every day before you get pregnant and every day afterwards up until you re 12 weeks pregnant.

Folic acid helps support your baby s spine and brain development. It is found in certain foods and it can also be taken as tablets. Folic acid is a b vitamin. A microgram is 1 000 times smaller than a milligram mg.

Folate or folic acid when added to food or taken as a supplement is a b group vitamin essential for the healthy development of the fetus in early pregnancy in particular their neural tube. Women of reproductive age need 400 mcg of folic acid every day. During early development folic acid helps form the neural tube. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body at least 1 month before and during pregnancy it can help prevent major birth defects of the baby s brain and spine.

To make sure you have enough folic acid in your body to prevent neural tube defects the cdc recommends women who plan to become pregnant or who are of childbearing age take 400 mcg of folic acid. Why folic acid is important before and during pregnancy. Folic acid is very important because it can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby s brain anencephaly and spine spina bifida. The studies which have looked at periconceptual use of folic acid have demonstrated relatively low rates of folic acid use in women taking anticonvulsants.

In a recent study which included seven european countries women taking aeds were not consistently co prescribed high dose folic acid in the 3 months prior to pregnancy. Taking a prenatal vitamin with the recommended 400 micrograms mcg of folic acid before and during pregnancy can help prevent birth defects of your baby s. Take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. It s recommended that all women who could get pregnant should take a daily supplement of folic acid.

Why you need it. Take a folic acid supplement. Taking a folic acid supplement also known as vitamin b9 for at least 3 months before you become pregnant is very important. The rates ranged.