Folic Acid And Pregnancy

One of the first things that your doctor will tell you if you are trying to conceive or if you have recently found out that you are pregnant is that you should take more folic acid. Folic acid can be found in a number of things, including cereal and other more nutritional choices. If you want a healthy baby, you can ensure this by eating healthy foods. One of the most important things related to folic acid and pregnancy is to take enough folic acid to prevent serious birth defects in the baby.

Before conception, it can be extremely easy to take folic acid for the health of your baby and a better pregnancy. So what is folic acid? Often called a folate, folic acid is a vitamin B that can be found in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach and orange juice. If you receive 400 micrograms of folic acid or .4 milligrams of folic acid prior to conception, you have significantly reduced your risk of certain neural tube defects.

One of the most common birth defects is spina bifida, which is an incomplete closure of the spinal cord and column. Taking folic acid can help to reduce this problem significantly. In addition, anencephaly, which is a severe underdevelopment of the brain, and encephalocele, which is when the brain tissue protrudes from the skin through an abnormal opening, can both be reduced through the intake of folic acid. And all of these abnormalities occur in the first month of pregnancy, which is usually well before a woman knows she’s pregnant. Therefore, taking folic acid before the woman is pregnant is of utmost importance.

Only roughly 50% of pregnancies are planned, so taking folic acid is important for anyone who wants or is considering conception in their future. Although the reasons why folic acid are so great at reducing the risk of these birth defects hasn’t been explained, we do know that it is important and plays a large part in cell growth and development.

Learn more about folic acid and pregnancy to understand how this nutrient can help you and your future child during these important months before conception.

Back to articles: Being Pregnant