It is recommended to take 1 folic acid tablet daily, at least 3
months before becoming pregnant and during the first 3 months of pregnancy,
this may help prevent genetic alterations at the level of neural tissue in the
baby and decrease the risk of pre-eclampsia or premature delivery.
Folic acid can be ingested daily in the form of tablets, but
also through the intake of vegetables, fruits and cereals such as spinach,
broccoli, lentils or cereals.
Does taking folic acid help me get pregnant?
No. Taking folic acid lowers the risk of malformations in the
spinal cord and in the baby's brain such as spina bifida or anencephaly, as
well as problems during pregnancy such as pre-eclampsia and premature delivery.
Doctors recommend starting to take folic acid before getting
pregnant because many women have a deficiency of this vitamin, being necessary
to start supplementation before conception. This occurs because normally,
food is not enough to offer the necessary amounts of folic acid in pregnancy,
and daily intake of multivitamins containing between 400 to 600 mcg of folic
acid is recommended.
Some examples are Folivital, AF Valdecasas, Bellafem maternal,
Calcibon natal, Materfol, it should be noted that some of them contain folic
acid and calcium together, since the latter is also an important mineral during
pregnancy to reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia and for promote bone and muscle
development of the fetus.
Recommended dosage of folic acid
The recommended
doses of folic acid vary according to age and life span, as shown in the table
below:
|
Age
|
Recommended daily dose
|
Maximum recommended dose (per day)
|
|
14 to 18 years
|
400 mcg
|
800 mcg
|
|
More than 19 years
|
400 mcg
|
1000 mcg
|
|
Pregnant women
|
600 mcg
|
1000 mcg
|
|
Lactating women
|
500 mcg
|
1000 mcg
|
When the recommended daily doses of folic acid are exceeded,
some symptoms such as constant nausea, abdominal bloating, excess gas or
insomnia may arise, so it is recommended to consult a general doctor to measure
the levels of folic acid, through a specific blood test.
In addition to this, some women can present folic acid
deficiency even eating foods rich in this substance, especially if they suffer
from malnutrition, malabsorption syndrome, irritable colon, anorexia or
prolonged diarrhea, presenting symptoms such as excessive tiredness, headaches,
loss of appetite or heart palpitations.
In addition to preserving the health of the fetus, folic acid
prevents problems such as anemia, cancer and depression, and can be used
without problems even outside of pregnancy.
How long before you get pregnant should you
take folic acid?
Folic acid supplementation should be started at least 1 month
before becoming pregnant, however ideally it should be done 3 months earlier
because the baby's brain and spinal cord formation is during the first 3 weeks
of pregnancy, which is usually before the woman knows she is pregnant.
So it is recommended that all women of childbearing age between
14 and 35 years take folic acid supplements to avoid problems in an unplanned
pregnancy.
How long should folic acid be taken in
pregnancy?
Folic acid supplementation should be maintained until the
beginning of the 3rd trimester of pregnancy or as indicated by the obstetrician
in charge of prenatal control.
No comments:
Post a Comment