Do I need to take folic acid before getting pregnant?

It is recommended to take 1 tablet of 400 mcg folic acid before and during pregnancy, according to your doctor’s advice, to prevent changes in the development of the baby’s neural tube, especially as it begins to form in the first 15 to 18 days. after conception.

Adequate intake of this micronutrient, also known as vitamin B9, prevents birth defects such as anencephaly and spina bifida, as well as reducing the risk of pre-eclampsia and premature birth. Check out the health benefits of folic acid.

Folic acid can be taken daily in tablet form, but also through the intake of vegetables, fruits and cereals, such as spinach, broccoli, lentils or cereals, for example. See other foods rich in folic acid.

Recommended dosages of folic acid

The recommended amount of folic acid during pregnancy is 1 tablet of 400 mcg per day before meals, along with a glass of water. Ideally, supplementation should begin at least 3 months before becoming pregnant.

In some cases, your doctor may recommend the use of a folic acid supplement that also contains calcium, as this mineral is also important in pregnancy to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia and to promote bone and muscle development in the fetus.

Until when to take the supplement

Folic acid supplementation should be continued during the first trimester of pregnancy or according to the instructions of the obstetrician monitoring the pregnancy.

What happens if you take more than recommended

When the recommended daily doses of folic acid are exceeded, some symptoms may appear, such as fever, loss of appetite, nausea, itchy skin, stomach pain or difficulty breathing, and it is important that a doctor is consulted.

It is not necessary to increase the dose of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects, unless recommended by the doctor due to some health consequence, such as malnutrition, malabsorption syndrome, irritable bowel, anorexia or prolonged diarrhea, for example, as as in women who are at risk of having a child with changes in the neural tube, and in this case it may be indicated to increase the dose to 4 to 5 mg of folic acid per day.

How long before getting pregnant should I take folic acid?

It is recommended that women start folic acid supplementation between 1 and 3 months before becoming pregnant, according to the gynecologist’s guidance, to prevent changes related to the formation of the baby’s brain and spinal cord, which begins in the first 3 weeks. of pregnancy, which is normally the period when a woman discovers she is pregnant. Therefore, when a woman starts planning a pregnancy, it is recommended that she start supplementation.

The use of supplements is important because the intake of foods with folic acid is not enough to obtain the daily requirement of pregnancy.

What happens if you don’t take folic acid during pregnancy

If folic acid supplements are not used during pregnancy, there is a greater risk of malformations in the baby’s spinal cord and brain, which may result in spina bifida or anencephaly, as well as problems during pregnancy, such as pre-eclampsia and premature birth.