Folic acid is a B vitamin that every cell in your body needs for healthy growth and development. Taking folic acid before and during early pregnancy can help prevent birth defects of the brain and spine called neural tube defects (also called NTDs).
Folic acid.
This is the most essential micronutrient in terms of first trimester nutrition — and prenatal nutrition in general. That's because folic acid (also known as vitamin B9 or folate, when it's in food form) plays a key role in preventing neural tube defects.
Folic Acid –
Folic acid may be the most important vitamin, especially in the beginning. Although folic acid is available in most leafy and green foods, it is difficult to get the full amount needed. Folic acid helps promote healthy neural tube development and prevents neural tube defects.
Folic acid is a vitamin that every cell in your body needs for healthy growth and development. If you take it before pregnancy and during early pregnancy, it can help protect your baby from birth defects of the brain and spine called neural tube defects.
Is it too late? No. If you're still in the early stages of pregnancy, start taking folic acid straight away and carry on until you're 12 weeks pregnant. If you're more than 12 weeks pregnant, don't worry.
Do not worry if you have not taken folic acid before conceiving or in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It is still likely that your baby will develop normally.
Folic acid protects your future baby against neural tube defects, such as spina bifida. Ideally, you should take folic acid supplements for 2 months before you get pregnant and until you are 12 weeks along. This is when your baby's spine is developing.
Folic acid: Low folate is associated with a 47% increased risk of miscarriage; having both low folate and low vitamin B6 increase miscarriage risk by 310%. Folic acid may also reduce the risk for Down Syndrome.
If you're pregnant, you should avoid supplements and multivitamins containing vitamin A (retinol) - as too much of it can harm your baby's development. You should also avoid liver and liver products (including fish liver oil), as they are high in vitamin A.
Do not eat raw or undercooked meat, chicken, or fish (such as sushi or raw oysters). Do not eat raw eggs or foods that contain raw eggs, such as Caesar dressing. Do not eat raw sprouts, especially alfalfa sprouts. Do not eat soft cheeses and unpasteurized dairy foods, such as Brie, feta, or blue cheese.
Ideally you should start prenatal vitamins at least one month before pregnancy—and CERTAINLY during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy when baby's development is at its most critical point.
Can it ever be too late to start prenatal vitamins? King adds that it's never too late to start taking prenatal vitamins, either. “While it's certainly best to start taking them as soon as possible, the baby is developing and growing during the entire pregnancy,” she says.
At 5 weeks pregnant, your body is dealing with an increase in levels of progesterone, which can leave you feeling more tired than usual. Some things that may help include avoiding caffeine and vigorous activity before bed, keeping a consistent daily schedule, and taking time to rest or nap when you need it.
Current supplementation policies designed to prevent neural tube defects may incidentally prevent Down's syndrome, provided a sufficiently high dose of folic acid is used.
It's unlikely that women will be hurt from getting too much folic acid. We don't know of an amount that is dangerous. Yet, for most women, consuming more than 1,000 mcg of folic acid daily is of no benefit.
Folic acid (folate)
Your baby's spine starts to grow very early in pregnancy. Folic acid helps: your baby's spine develop properly. prevent conditions such as spina bifida, a neural tube defect which affects spinal development.
That's because the first trimester is when most pregnant women experience nausea and aversions to certain foods and smells. You want to try to follow a healthy, balanced diet high in vegetables and fruits, lean proteins and carbohydrates from whole grain foods.
Don t be surprised if you develop a bit of a 6 weeks pregnant belly. Although your 6 week embryo is still well down in your pelvis, some women, especially those who've been pregnant before, seem to show much earlier. General abdominal distention is usually the cause.
If that's you, no worries! Just start taking one prenatal multivitamin a day again as soon as possible. Do not double up on dosage or take more than one prenatal multivitamin a day, even if you missed one or more days.
It's recommended that you take: 400 micrograms of folic acid every day – from before you're pregnant until you're 12 weeks pregnant.