When should pregnant women take folic acid supplements

Release time : 09/06/2025 09:30:03

Folic acid is one of the B vitamins, and it promotes the maturation of immature cells in bone marrow. Humans who lack folate may suffer from megaloblastic anemia and leukopenia, especially during pregnancy.

When should a pregnant woman start taking folic acid supplements?

The purpose of emphasizing that folic acid should be taken before pregnancy is to ensure that the level of folate in a woman's body remains at a certain level, so that the fetus can have a better folate nutrition status in the early stage.

According to research, it takes 4 weeks for a woman's body to correct the state of folic acid deficiency after taking folic acid.

At this early stage of pregnancy, when the fetus's neural tube is developing, adequate folic acid is essential for the development of the nervous system. Moreover, it is important to continue taking folic acid during the first three months of pregnancy, as this will provide the best preventive effects.

American nutritionists recommend that pregnant women eat one banana a day because it is rich in folate, vitamin B6 and potassium and magnesium.

Folic acid 400 micrograms a day until the first three months of pregnancy.

Researchers at the California Institute of Technology found that women who take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily during pregnancy and early in the first two months can reduce by 25% to 50% the rate of congenital malformations, such as cleft lip and palate.

Chinese researchers have found that the insufficiency of folic acid during early pregnancy is one of the causes of congenital heart disease in children. If a woman takes 400 micrograms of folic acid every day three months before her pregnancy, she may reduce 35.5% of cases of congenital heart disease.

The optimal time for folic acid supplementation: starting three months before pregnancy and continuing three months after.

Of course, some netizens raised concerns: "What if we don't conceive after three months of trying?" The doctor explained, "Folic acid is a B vitamin and is present in many foods. Consuming more does not pose any harm to individuals."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) states that folic acid is an important way to prevent birth defects in babies. Women planning to become pregnant and mothers are advised to take folic acid supplements (including naturally occurring folic acid).

Pregnant women need 4 times more folic acid than normal people. If a woman takes folic acid at least one month before pregnancy and keeps taking it for three months during pregnancy, the risk of neural tube defects in the baby can be reduced by 50% to 70%.

Research shows that taking folic acid-containing multivitamins may reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia in pregnant women.

Preeclampsia is a complication specific to pregnancy. It is a hypertensive disorder of pregnancy that affects 5% to 8% of pregnant women.

The Chinese Nutrition Society recommends starting the use of folic acid from two to three months before pregnancy and continuing until the third month of pregnancy or the entire gestational period. In addition to preventing neural tube defects, it is also beneficial for reducing the risk of hyperlipidemia during pregnancy.

At the mid-pregnancy and late pregnancy stages, the increase in maternal blood volume, breast development, and placental maturation necessitates an increased requirement for folic acid.

Folic acid deficiency in pregnant women is prone to placental abruption and preeclampsia, which are serious conditions. The importance of folic acid can be seen clearly from this text.

The role of folic acid supplementation in pregnancy is to play a significant positive role in the prenatal or preconception period through the active intake of folic acid tablets.

The purpose of the emphasis on preconception folic acid is to maintain the level of folic acid in the woman's body, so that the early embryo has an optimal nutritional status.

According to research, it takes 4 weeks for the state of folate deficiency to be corrected after taking folic acid.

During the early stages of pregnancy, when the fetus's neural tube is in its sensitive period, sufficient folic acid is needed to meet the needs of neural development. Moreover, it is essential to continue taking folic acid during the first three months after conception for optimal prevention effects.

When taking folic acid tablets improperly or in excess, it can also have side effects on the human body.

While taking folic acid tablets may have side effects, the incidence of adverse reactions from excessive intake is actually very rare in clinical practice.

Therefore, if women take folic acid tablets as directed, there is no need to worry about adverse reactions such as folate poisoning.

Prenatal folate supplementation precautions: The total body stores of folate are 5-6 mg, but human can not synthesize folate and only obtain it from food and digest it.

However, expectant mothers must remember that they must take folic acid tablets under the guidance of a doctor and not blindly purchase them on their own.

Because folic acid is not necessarily the right amount to be supplemented.

Excessive intake of folic acid may increase the risk of certain progressive, unknown neurological damage.

Clinical data show that the tolerable upper limit of folate intake for expectant mothers is 1000 micrograms, and generally, a daily supplementation of 400-800 micrograms of folate can meet the growth needs of the fetus and their own needs.

Prenatal supplementation of folic acid should be considered with the following points: 1. Long-term use of folic acid can interfere with zinc metabolism in pregnant women, and zinc deficiency can affect fetal development.

2. Pregnant mothers should ideally take folic acid supplements under the guidance of a physician.

3. If a woman has previously given birth to a baby with neural tube defects, she should visit the hospital for further examination and follow the doctor's advice to increase daily folic acid intake until 12 weeks after conception.

4. Long-term use of contraceptives, anticonvulsants, and other medications before pregnancy may interfere with the metabolism of folic acid and other vitamins.

Women planning to become pregnant should stop taking medications 6 months before pregnancy and supplement with folic acid and other vitamins.

How to select folic acid tablets synthetic folic acid can be stable for months or years, easy to absorb and human body utilization rate is high, about twice the natural product.

Folic acid is initially extracted from liver extracts by a synthetic method.

Therefore, taking folic acid dietary supplements is a popular choice among pregnant women. So, which brand of folic acid supplement is good for ovulation? In fact, as long as it comes from a legitimate pharmaceutical company, it can be used.

Which one to take is a matter of personal choice; my friends all have different opinions on what they consume.

I think for a mother who is generally healthy and doesn't have any dietary restrictions, simply supplementing with folic acid would suffice. Sallyan is an excellent choice, after all, everything is better in moderation.

Some expectant mothers with symptoms of vitamin deficiencies can consider other multivitamin supplements, and it is important to ensure that the folic acid content meets national standards.

Do not be gullible to expensive medications, especially do not believe in the sales of non-professional medical personnel.

During pregnancy, it is essential to prioritize safety when considering any additional supplements.

According to a netizen named Mommy Pear, she chose Silian because she had been consuming it for many years and saw that after so many people had "experimented" with it, the medication must be relatively safe.

*The medical information provided in this text is for reference only.

In case of discomfort, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately. The diagnosis and treatment should be based on the professional examinations conducted in clinic settings.