You are here: Home News and events Why do you need to take folic acid when pregnant? Why do you need to take folic acid when pregnant? Tuesday 11 September It is really important to take folic acid if you are planning on getting pregnant. What is folic acid? What does folic acid do? What is a neural tube? What is spina bifida?
Most spina bifida cases are detected with an ultrasound scan around 18 weeks of pregnancy. Can I prevent my baby getting spina bifida? Why do I need to take folic acid when pregnant? How much folic acid do I need to take? Are there risks from taking folic acid? Like all medicines, folic acid can cause side effects in some people.
But many people have no side effects or only minor ones. In rare cases, folic acid can cause a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis. These are not all the side effects of folic acid. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet.
If you're pregnant or trying for a baby, it's recommended you take folic acid as soon as you start trying for a baby and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. This will help your baby grow normally. Your doctor may advise you to take a higher dose of folic acid if there's a higher risk of neural tube defects during your pregnancy. Folic acid is safe to take while you're breastfeeding.
It passes into the milk, but it's not harmful to your baby. Do not take your folic acid within 2 hours before or after taking indigestion remedies antacids containing aluminium or magnesium , as they may stop folic acid being properly absorbed.
Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before taking any herbal remedies or supplements together with folic acid. For safety, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements. If we do not have enough folic acid, the body can make abnormally large red blood cells that do not work properly. Folic acid will help you make healthy red blood cells and improve or prevent the symptoms of anaemia.
A baby's body and most of their internal organs are formed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid helps this happen normally. Low folate levels at this important time can increase the risk of neural tube defects and possibly other problems in the baby. It's recommended that all pregnant women, and those trying for a baby, take a folic acid supplement until they're 12 weeks pregnant.
Sometimes taking methotrexate leads to folate deficiency because it causes your body to get rid of more folate than normal. But if you're taking it for folate deficiency anaemia, it may be a few weeks before you start to feel better. If you're taking it because you're pregnant, you probably will not feel any different, but that does not mean it's not working. In pregnancy - women are recommended to take folic acid while they're trying for a baby and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
For folate deficiency anaemia - treatment is usually for 4 months. But if the cause of your folate deficiency anaemia does not change or go away, you may have to take folic acid for longer, possibly for the rest of your life. To reduce the side effects of methotrexate - folic acid is usually taken for as long as you take methotrexate. You may have to take it for a long time, possibly for the rest of your life.
Folate is found naturally in foods and some foods are fortified with folic acid, which means the vitamin is added to it.
A baby's neural tube starts developing in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy before the first missed period. In the UK and Ireland in the s, before women were advised to a take folic acid supplements, about 1 in pregnancies resulted in a baby with a neural tube defect. If you're taking folic acid with methotrexate, talk to your doctor before taking any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or aspirin. It's best to avoid drinking alcohol with folic acid as alcohol may stop folic acid being absorbed.
It's safer not to drink any alcohol if you're pregnant or trying for a baby because it can damage your baby's growth. Folic acid does not help you get pregnant, but it's recommended while you're trying for a baby and in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Page last reviewed: 27 March Next review due: 27 March Folic acid On this page About folic acid Key facts Who can and can't take folic acid How and when to take it Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.
About folic acid Folic acid is the man-made version of the vitamin folate also known as vitamin B9. It is more stable than types of natural food folate.
Heat and light can easily break down types of natural food folate. Folic acid is better suited for food fortification because many fortified products, such as bread and pasta, are cooked. CDC recommends that women of reproductive age who could become pregnant consume at least micrograms mcg of folate every day.
You can get mcg of folic acid each day by taking a vitamin with folic acid in it, eating fortified foods, or a combination of the two, in addition to consuming a balanced diet rich in natural food folate.
If taking folic acid for reasons other than neural tube defect prevention, talk to your healthcare provider. Learn more about where to find folic acid in the United States here. Back to Keeping well in pregnancy. Eating a healthy, varied diet in pregnancy will help you get most of the vitamins and minerals you need.
This is to reduce the risk of problems in the baby's development in the early weeks of pregnancy. It is also recommended that you take a daily vitamin D supplement. Do not take cod liver oil or any supplements containing vitamin A retinol when you're pregnant.
Too much vitamin A could harm your baby. Always check the label. You also need to know which foods to avoid in pregnancy. You can get supplements from pharmacies and supermarkets, or a GP may be able to prescribe them for you. If you want to get your folic acid from a multivitamin tablet, make sure the tablet does not contain vitamin A or retinol. You may be able to get free vitamins if you qualify for the Healthy Start scheme. Find out more about the Healthy Start scheme. Folic acid can help prevent birth defects known as neural tube defects, including spina bifida.
If you did not take folic acid before you conceived, you should start as soon as you find out you're pregnant. Try to eat green leafy vegetables which contain folate the natural form of folic acid and breakfast cereals and fat spreads with folic acid added to them.
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