The most under-rated nutrient in pregnancy : Folic Acid

The most under-rated nutrient in pregnancy : Folic Acid

• Start Folic Acid supplements in pre-conception stage/ childbearing age itself.
•  Birth defects occur within the first 3-4 weeks of pregnancy which makes  early initiation of folic acid supplements necessary
• Baby's brain and spinal cord are developing rapidly during the early stages.
• Without enough folic acid, baby's neural tube may not close correctly and may develop health problems called neural tube defects. These include:

o   Spina bifida: incomplete development of the spinal cord or the vertebrae

o   Anencephaly: incomplete development of major parts of the brain  

Risk associated with low folic acid intake

-          When taken before and during pregnancy, folic acid may also protect your baby against:

·         Cleft lip and palate

·         Premature birth

·         Low birth weight

·         Miscarriage

·         Poor growth in the womb

Dosage Recommended

-          400 micrograms (mcg) before and during pregnancy

Good sources of Free folate from foods

Food	Folic acid (mcg)	Food	Folic acid (mcg)
Liver sheep	65.5	Ladies finger	25
Spinach	51	Green gram dal	24.5
Gingelly seeds	51	Curry leaves	23.5
Cluster beans	50	Whole wheat	14.2
Amaranth tender	41	Tomato ripe	14

-          The body does not use folate from food as easily as folic acid from synthetic supplements. Hence, women who can get pregnant should consume 400 micrograms of synthetic folic acid in addition to the natural food folate from a varied diet

Sources: CDC, Webmd, Medline Plus