Folic Acid: Why You Need Pregnancy It Before and During
When a woman is pregnant, she really needs a lot of care and attention. This is done not only for her sake but also for the proper development of the baby. It is advisable for pregnant women to go for antenatal care. With this, all these issues about the safety of the mother and baby will be dealt with. Also, there are some supplements that are needed before and during pregnancy and folic acid is one of them. It is needed for proper development of the baby and also for the health of the mother.
What is Folic Acid?
A folic acid is a form of man-made vitamin B. It is essential for bodybuilding, the building of blood cell, DNA repairs and development of the placenta. That is why it is believed that folic acid is needed for the development of the baby in the womb. Folic acid is also known as folate and can be gotten from citric acid, cereals, and vegetables. Folic acid also reduces the risk of brain damage and spinal cord related deficiency in the development of the baby when in the womb.
When to Start Taking Folic Acid
You should start taking folic acid as soon as you start preparing for pregnancy, like prenatal care. Folic acid is needed to help in proper development of the brain and spinal cord of the baby. So, it is important to start taking these supplements as early as possible. If you have not started taking folic acid as a supplement and you are already pregnant, then it is not too late. You can start taking folic acid as late as 12 months to pregnancy. If you visit your doctor as you start planning to get pregnant, they will prescribe a supplement for you with folic acid as a major supplement.
You will need folic acid to help in developing the baby’s nerves. This will then form the baby’s spine and central nervous system. This shows that folic acid helps in the proper development and prevent any form of deficiency in forming. In a case of improper development of the nerves, lifelong disability in the baby may be recorded. Studies carried out have proven that women who start taking folic acid as early as a year before pregnancy cut their chances of delivering early or prematurely by 50%.
So, from what we have discussed so far, one should start taking folic acid as early as they start planning to get pregnant. This should be done at least once a day. In addition, when pregnant it is advised that you should take folic acid every day.
What is The Recommended Dosage of Folic Acid?
There is a recommended dosage of folic acid for each period of pregnancy as well as in the period before pregnancy. It is important to consult your doctor for the actual dosage needed at each period; when trying to get pregnant and when you are pregnant.
For women who are of childbearing age, 400mcg is the recommended dosage of folate or folic acid needed. You should also ensure to check the amount of folic acid present in the vitamin supplement. During pregnancy, 400 mcg is the recommended dosage for women in their first three months of pregnancy. For those women who are four to nine months of pregnancy, the recommended dosage is 600mcg. It is also important for women who have just given birth to take a specified dosage of folic acid and the recommended dosage especially for a breastfeeding mother is 500mcg.
Health Benefit of Folic Acid
There are various health benefits of folic acid to the baby in the womb, the mother, and newborn baby. Without folic acid in your system, the development of the baby may be affected. Here are some health benefits of folic acid:
• It helps in the complete development of the baby’s spinal cord when in the womb.
• It helps in the complete development of the brain, reducing any chance of brain defect in the baby.
• It reduces chances of premature birth.
• It aids in the proper growth of the baby in the womb.
• It reduces chances of miscarriage
• It helps in reducing pregnancy complications in women.
• It prevents heart disease and stroke.
• It aids in diseases like Alzheimer's and cancer
Sources of Folic Acid
Folic acid can be found in some of our regular meals, and its source is not just from the supplement and manmade vitamins. You can obtain a considerable amount of folic acid from your diet, and they include:
• Cereals as breakfast.
• Cooked liver
• Spinach
• Eggs
• Beans
You can get multivitamins that contain folic acid or as a single supplement from your pharmacist and you should always check the label of the supplements and what they contain.
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