If you do not get enough folic acid before and during pregnancy, your baby is at higher risk for neural tube defects. Neural tube defects are serious birth defects that affect the spine, spinal cord, or brain and may cause death. These include: Spina bifida.
Women who are pregnant or trying to become pregnant should get at least 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) of folic acid daily before conception and for at least 3 months afterward. Studies show that this greatly reduces a baby's risk of serious neural tube defects.
When the baby is developing early during pregnancy, folic acid helps form the neural tube. 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 neural tube forms the early brain and spine.
The best way to protect your baby is to start taking folic acid at least 3 months before you get pregnant. This will decrease the chance of your baby developing spina bifida by about 50%. If you wait until you get pregnant or miss your period to start folic acid supplements, you are too late.
If you do not get enough folic acid before and during pregnancy, your baby is at higher risk for neural tube defects. Neural tube defects are serious birth defects that affect the spine, spinal cord, or brain and may cause death. These include: Spina bifida.
Ideally, you should take folic acid supplements for 2 months before you get pregnant and until you are 12 weeks along.
Folic acid before and during pregnancy
It's important to take a 400 micrograms folic acid tablet every day before you're pregnant and until you're 12 weeks pregnant. Folic acid can help prevent birth defects known as neural tube defects, including spina bifida.
If you do not have enough folic acid, your body can make abnormally large red blood cells that do not work properly. This causes folate deficiency anaemia, which can cause tiredness and other symptoms. Folic acid will help you make healthy red blood cells and improve or prevent the symptoms of anaemia.
If you forget to take it
Missing 1 or 2 doses probably will not matter. But if you keep forgetting to take your folic acid, or you do not want to take it, speak to your doctor.
The rates of miscarriage among women who had and had not taken folic acid pills before and during the first trimester were 9.0% and 9.3%, respectively (risk ratio 0.97 [95% CI 0.84-1.12]). The distributions of gestational age at pregnancy diagnosis and at miscarriage were similar for both groups of women.
Bananas
They're especially high in folate and can easily help you meet your daily needs when paired with a few other folate-rich foods. A medium banana can supply 23.6 mcg of folate, or 6% of the DV ( 36 ). Bananas are high in other nutrients as well, including potassium, vitamin B6, and manganese ( 36 ).
According to this study, one egg (60 g) may provide 40–86 µg of folates, which corresponds to 10–22% of the recommended daily intake for adults, 400 µg according to the Nutrition Standards for the Polish Population.
Avocados
Just one more reason to love avocados is their significant amount of folate per cup - around 90 mcg. In addition, avocados are a great source of heart-healthy fats, vitamin K and dietary fiber.
Dark leafy greens
These have the highest folate levels of any food. Consider adding more spinach, kale, collard greens, turnip greens, romaine lettuce, raw cabbage, Brussel sprouts and broccoli to your diet for an immediate folic acid boost.
There is no need to take the supplement at a specific time of day or with a meal. However, developing a habit, such as taking a prenatal vitamin every morning with breakfast, may make it easier to remember to take folic acid.
Folate deficiency caused by a lack of dietary folate is more common in people who have a generally unbalanced and unhealthy diet, people who regularly misuse alcohol, and people following a fad diet that does not involve eating good sources of folate.
New research is beginning to explore whether too much—or too little—folic acid during pregnancy is related to a baby's risk of developing autism.
Folic acid has also been suggested to reduce your risk of: Pregnancy complications (One report found that women who took folic acid supplements during the second trimester had a reduced risk of preeclampsia.)
By 12 weeks the neural tube has already grown, so taking folic acid after this point will not help your baby's development. However, some pregnancy multivitamins (including Healthy Start vitamins) include folic acid. You can continue to take this all through your pregnancy.
Once you reach 12 weeks pregnant your baby's spine will have developed, so you can stop taking folic acid if you wish. However you can continue to take supplements after 12 weeks if you choose to and it won't harm your baby to do so.
It's recommended to take Elevit daily for at least 1 month before you conceive, during pregnancy and while breastfeeding. If you don't breastfeed, it's recommended to take Elevit right up until birth, and then switch to a multivitamin such as Elevit Women's Daily Multivitamin.
Around 140 grams of raw papaya pulp has 53mcg of folate (12). Papaya is also high in Vitamin C, Potassium, and antioxidants like Carotenoids. Papaya is a delicious fruit; it also has many beneficial properties such as antioxidant, anti-cancerous, anti-inflammatory, and reduces cardiac-related health problems.