Folic acid - what you need to know

One nutrient key to a healthy pregnancy is worth special consideration: folate or folic acid one of the B group of vitamins, also known as B9.

We all need folic acid to make DNA. DNA carries the genetic information that controls the correct development and function of every single cell in our bodies.

A good intake of folic acid when you are trying for a baby and /or at least during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy (when the baby's neural tube is forming), significantly reduces your baby's risk of developing a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida or anencephaly (when the brain does not develop).

• Folic acid supplements
• Folic acid in food

Folic acid supplements

The Department of Health recommends that every women thinking about pregnancy or up to 12 weeks pregnant takes a daily supplement of 0.4mg (sometimes described as 400 mcg or micrograms) of folic acid and eats a diet rich in folates to reduce the risk of birth defects.

Women who have had one child with a neural tube defect are at greater risk of having other children with the same disability. These women will be prescribed a higher dose of folic acid by their doctor.

Folic acid supplements are available on prescription from your family doctor or midwife. In the UK, National Health Service prescriptions are free to pregnant women. If you are not entitled to free prescriptions, it is cheaper to buy a folic acid supplement from a chemist’s shop or supermarket than pay for a prescription. Ask the pharmacist for advice.

If you suffer from epilepsy, consult your family doctor before taking a folic acid supplement. Your epilepsy medication may affect your folic acid needs.

Foods with folic acid

The UK government advises pregnant women to also increase the amount of folic acid in their diet. All of these foods are good sources of folic acid:

• Green leafy vegetables such as Brussels sprouts, spinach and broccoli (see recipes for pregnancy)
• Other vegetables - especially beans, peas, cabbage, potatoes and cauliflower
• Canned pulses such as kidney beans, chickpeas, butter beans, baked beans, borlotti beans, flageolet beans and peas are a fantastic source of folic acid.Find recipes here www.cannedfood.co.uk
• Tinned baked beans
• Fruits - particularly citrus fruits and kiwi fruit
• Fortified breakfast cereals and bread (check the nutritional information charts on packets or look for the ‘contains folic acid’ symbol)

If you want to know more about folic acid speak with your midwife or family doctor or contact the Association for Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus (ASBAH)

Where to next?

• Are you getting enough folic acid? Take our folic acid quiz to see
• Have your say on any pregnancy topic on our discussion board
• Read more vital pregnancy information
• Pregnant? Why not join our online antenatal classes
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• See more babyworld features