Folic acid and pregnancy
Folic acid (also known as folate) may be a B-vitamin found in many foods, including dark green leafy vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, peas, dairy products, meat, eggs, and grains. it’s required for the production of the latest cells and for the correct synthesis of DNA. This vitamin is especially important to a baby’s health and development. Because there might not be enough folic acid within the diet, it’s recommended that each one woman who tries to urge pregnant, or who might become pregnant, take supplemental folic acid. To be useful, the folic acid must be taken for a minimum of three months before conception. it’s not helpful to start it after the diagnosis of pregnancy.
Why is folic acid so important in pregnancy?
Folic acid helps prevent some types of birth defects called ectoderm defects. These happen when the fetal spinal column doesn’t close completely or the brain and skull don’t grow properly. Some samples of neural tube defects are rachischisis and anencephaly. Other defects including birth defects, some heart defects can also be associated with inadequate folic acid intake.
How much folic acid should I be taking?
It is not only the quantity of folic acid that you simply take that’s important but the timing. Most ectoderm defects happen within the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, often before the mother is even aware she is pregnant. for many women, a daily dose of 0.4 mg of folic acid per day throughout pregnancy and until breastfeeding ends is enough. If you’ve got risk factors for neural tube defects or have had a previous pregnancy with a neural tube defect, you’ll get to take more. additionally to eating a diet rich in folic acid, follow the recommendations during this table.
What are the best folic acid foods?
Your daily prenatal vitamin is sort of a nutritional backup plan during pregnancy — and it comes in handy especially on days once you feel too sick to eat. That said, vitamins or supplements can’t replace a healthy diet. it is vital to eat many folate-rich foods when you’re expecting since they’re also filled with many other important baby-making nutrients like fiber, calcium, vitamin A and vitamin C.
And if you’re breastfeeding, physicians recommend taking a basic daily women’s multivitamin that contains 100 percent of the recommended daily value of all nutrients, including folic acid. you’ll either still take your prenatal vitamin or a supplement designed for breastfeeding moms.
Some of the best food sources of folate to include in your diet include:
Leafy green vegetables: 263 mcg in 1 cup boiled spinach
Avocado: 120 mcg in 1 cup sliced
Beans: 250 to 350 mcg in 1 cup beans or lentils
Asparagus: 268 mcg in 1 cup
Beets: 136 mcg in 1 cup
Oranges: 35 mcg in 3/4 cup
Foods fomented with folic acid, including whole-grain cereal, bread, pasta, and rice
Keep up the great work on the nutrition front by taking your folic acid-rich daily prenatal vitamin. This supplement, alongside a healthy diet, is an excellent thanks to beginning your new baby’s life.