 Folic
acid in early pregnancy
One nutrient key to a healthy pregnancy is 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).
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.
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)
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