Need of Folic Acid In Pregnancy
Posted on September 6, 2007
Filed Under Pregnancy Food Plan |
The discovery of the relationship between deficiencies in folic acid, a B vitamin, and neural tube defects (NTDs) was one of the most important breakthroughs ever in preventive health care. Folic acid is particularly important in the earliest weeks of pregnancy, when the neural tube is developing. All women planning pregnancy and, in fact, all women in the childbearing years should take 0.4 mg (4 micrograms) of folic acid daily. Women who have had a child with a neural tube defect should take 4 mg of folic acid, a prescription strength dosage. This supplementation should be begun in the pregnancy planning stages and continued for at least the first 3 months of a pregnancy. Researchers estimate that this supplement can prevent up to 50 percent of NTDs.
Foods rich in folic acid include -
- Artichokes
- Asparagus
- Avocados
- Bran and granola cereals
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Chili
- Fortified cereals and breads Liver
- Okra
- Orange juice
- Pinto, navy, and other dried beans
- Spinach
Overcooking will destroy the heat sensitive folic acid.
Recently, foods such as breads and cereals have been fortified with folic acid, although there was vigorous debate before this occurred. The main argument against fortification was that high folic acid intake may mask a vitamin B12 deficiency. Vitamin B12 deficiency, also called pernicious anemia, can cause neurological problems. Pernicious anemia is rare in people under the age of 50, however, so this is not an issue with folic acid supplementation or fortification in the childbearing age group.
Prenatal vitamins usually contain between 0.4 mg and 1 mg of folic acid. If you take a prenatal multivitamin read the label so you do not unnecessarily take an extra folic acid tablet.
Tags:childbearing years, folic acid intake, folic acid supplementation, fortification, pernicious anemia, Pregnancy Food Plan, pregnancy planning, pregnancy researchers, prenatal vitamins, preventive health care vitamin b12 deficiency
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