What do you know about folic acid?

What do you know about folic acid?

During the period of preparing for pregnancy, folic acid supplementation is crucial. The following is a clear summary of folic acid supplementation during the period of preparing for pregnancy, with reference to relevant figures and information in multiple articles:


1. The importance of folic acid
Preventing neural tube defects: Supplementing folic acid during the period of preparing for pregnancy can effectively prevent fetal neural tube defects. 
Increasing the pregnancy rate: Folic acid is also helpful in improving the pregnancy rate.

2. Recommendations for folic acid supplementation
Supplementation time:
Women preparing for pregnancy should take folic acid orally from 3 months before planning pregnancy until 3 months after pregnancy. This is because women have to go through a 4-week sensitive period after taking folic acid before sufficient folic acid can meet the development needs of the nervous system.



Supplementation dosage:
The recommended daily amount of folic acid supplementation is between 0.4 and 1 mg. Commonly used folic acid preparations include ordinary folic acid tablets (such as Silian) with 0.4 mg/tablet, and Elevit with 0.8 mg of folic acid per tablet.
If the pregnant woman lacks folic acid, or has special circumstances (such as having given birth to a child with neural tube defects in the past, or taking anti-epileptic drugs), the oral dose of folic acid should be increased by 10 times compared to normal pregnant women.

Supplementation method:
In addition to supplementing with folic acid tablets, folic acid can also be taken through food. Foods rich in folic acid include green leafy vegetables (such as spinach, cabbage, etc.), animal livers (such as pork liver, chicken liver, etc.), beans and nuts, etc.



It should be noted that since excessive heating can easily destroy the folic acid in food, it is important to pay attention to the cooking time not being too long. Try to use steaming, microwaves, and stir-frying to cook vegetables with high folic acid content.

3. Precautions
Avoid excessive intake: Although folic acid is beneficial for pregnancy preparation, excessive intake may also cause side effects, such as gastrointestinal discomfort and affect zinc absorption. Therefore, supplementation should be strictly in accordance with the dosage recommended by the doctor or the instructions.

Individual differences: Everyone's physical condition and nutritional needs are different. Therefore, before supplementing folic acid, it is best to consult a doctor or a professional nutritionist to understand your specific situation and needs.

IV. Summary
Supplementing folic acid during pregnancy preparation plays an important role in preventing fetal neural tube defects and improving pregnancy rates. It is recommended to start supplementing folic acid 3 months before planning pregnancy, with a daily dose of 0.4~1mg, which can be supplemented through folic acid tablets and food. At the same time, it is necessary to avoid excessive intake and individual differences.

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