Folic acid when planning a pregnancy It’s important to take a folic acid supplement (vitamin B9) for at least 3 months before you become pregnant. Folic acid supports your baby’s spine and brain development. Your baby’s spine develops fully during the first month of pregnancy.
Folic acid helps reduce the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) like spina bifida. Doctors advise that you continue to take a folic acid supplement throughout your pregnancy. The recommended dose is 400 micrograms of folic acid supplement every day. Ask your pharmacist about the best product for you. It is not possible to get the amount of folic acid you and your baby need from food alone.
Your body will be drawing on all your nutrients when you become pregnant. A 400 microgram supplement and a healthy diet will help make sure you and your baby are healthy.
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How long should I take folic acid before getting pregnant?
Folic acid is a vitamin (B9). It is found in certain foods and it can also be taken as tablets. If you’re planning to have a baby, it’s important that you take folic acid tablets for two to three months before you conceive. This allows it to build up in your body to a level that gives the most protection to your future baby against neural tube defects, such as spina bifida.
- As you could get pregnant within a month of trying, it is ideal to start taking folic acid tablets two months before you stop contraception.
- If you have already stopped contraception, that’s OK, start taking it now and until week 12 of pregnancy.
- You can also try to eat more foods that contain folate, which is the natural form of folic acid.
However, even a healthy diet does not have enough folic acid for pregnancy so taking folic acid tablets is very important. If you end up taking folic acid tablets for far longer than two to three months this is perfectly OK and not harmful. Are you ready to conceive? Use our tool to find out.
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How long does it take for folic acid to start working?
Folic acid usually starts to work in a few hours. But if you’re taking it for folate deficiency anaemia, it may be a few weeks before you start to feel better. It’s important to keep taking your folic acid for as long as it’s recommended.
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How long should I take folic acid?
Uses of folic acid – Folic acid is used to:
- treat or prevent folate deficiency anaemia, which impacts on how well your red blood cells work
- help your unborn baby’s brain, skull and spinal cord develop properly during pregnancy – this helps to avoid development problems such as spina bifida
- help reduce side effects from methotrexate, a medicine used to treat severe arthritis, Crohn’s disease or psoriasis
It’s best to take folic acid for at least 14 weeks before you become pregnant, when you’re trying for a baby. You should continue taking it for at least the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid can also be taken with:
- ferrous fumarate and ferrous sulphate (to treat iron deficiency anaemia)
- other vitamins and minerals (as a multivitamin and mineral supplement)
How do you feel after taking folic acid?
When taken by mouth: It is likely safe for most people to take folic acid in doses of no more than 1 mg daily. Doses higher than 1 mg daily may be unsafe. These doses might cause stomach upset, nausea, diarrhea, irritability, confusion, behavior changes, skin reactions, seizures, and other side effects.
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Should I take folic acid in the morning or night?
Skip to content We get questions all the time about folic acid and its benefits for women. To help, we’ve answered five commonly asked questions about the B-vitamin and its use. Who should take folic acid? All women of child bearing age should make folic acid part of their daily regimen.
- We suggest women start as early as 10 years old as the younger we are the easier it is to develop healthy habits.
- We suggest folic acid even for women who are not planning on getting pregnant since more than half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned.
- For the full effects and benefits of the supplement, it must be in the woman’s system for at least one month before conception.
Which birth defects do folic acid help to prevent? Folic acid has been found to reduce the risk of the following neural tube defects (NTDs) by as much as 70%:
Spina bifida Anencephaly Congenital heart disease Cleft lip and palate Limb reduction defects Obstructive uropathies
What is the best time of day to take folic acid? Most nutritionists say to take supplements, like folic acid, in the morning. Digestion slows at night, so taking your vitamins in the morning will allow for better and more efficient absorption into your system.
Also, for some, B vitamins like folic acid can stimulate metabolism and brain function at a high enough rate that it can make sleeping more difficult. How much folic acid should I take? According to the U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, March of Dimes, the Institute of Medicine, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all women of childbearing age in the United States who are capable of becoming pregnant should consume 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid per day.
Most prenatal supplements contain between 0.4mg and 0.8mg of folic acid and either is considered safe and acceptable for women planning to become pregnant or who are pregnant. In addition, women should eat a healthy diet including foods rich in folic acid.
Most women get only about 200 micrograms of folic acid a day from their diets. With or without food? In the case of most vitamins, it’s better not to take them on an empty stomach. However, with folic acid, women are advised to take them before a meal to make sure it is fully absorbed into the system.
We also suggest taking your B9 vitamin with water. For answers to more questions about folic acid, visit our FAQ page, Folic Acid Admin 2021-09-24T17:21:35+00:00 Page load link Go to Top
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Should I worry if I didn’t take folic acid before pregnancy?
Folic acid 
Folic acid is the man-made form of folate, a B vitamin. Folate is found naturally in certain fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Folic acid is found in vitamins and fortified foods. Folic acid and folate help the body make healthy new red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to all the parts of your body.
If your body does not make enough red blood cells, you can develop, Anemia happens when your blood cannot carry enough oxygen to your body, which makes you pale, tired, or weak. Also, if you do not get enough folic acid, you could develop a type of anemia called, Everyone needs folic acid to be healthy.
But it is especially important for women:
- Before and during pregnancy. Folic acid protects unborn children against serious birth defects called neural tube defects. These birth defects happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant. Folic acid might also help prevent other types of birth defects and early pregnancy loss (miscarriage). Since about half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned, experts recommend all women get enough folic acid even if you are not trying to get pregnant.
- To keep the blood healthy by helping red blood cells form and grow. Not getting enough folic acid can lead to a type of called, Folate-deficiency anemia is more common in women of childbearing age than in men.
You can get folic acid in two ways.
- Through the foods you eat. Folate is, including spinach, nuts, and beans. Folic acid is found in fortified foods (called “enriched foods”), such as breads, pastas, and cereals. Look for the term “enriched” on the ingredients list to find out whether the food has added folic acid.
- As a vitamin. Most multivitamins sold in the United States contain 400 micrograms, or 100% of the daily value, of folic acid. Check the label to make sure.
All women need 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. Women who can get pregnant should get 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid from a vitamin or from food that has added folic acid, such as breakfast cereal. This is in addition to the folate you get naturally from food. Some women may need more folic acid each day. See the chart to find out how much folic acid you need.
| If you: | Amount of folic acid you may need daily |
|---|---|
| Could get pregnant or are pregnant | 400–800 micrograms. Your doctor may prescribe a prenatal vitamin with more. |
| Had a baby with a neural tube defect (such as (SPEYE-nuh BIF-ih-duh) ) and want to get pregnant again | 4,000 micrograms. Your doctor may prescribe this amount. Research shows taking this amount may lower the risk of having another baby with spina bifida. |
| Have a family member with spina bifida and could get pregnant | 4,000 micrograms. Your doctor may prescribe this amount. |
| Have spina bifida and want to get pregnant | 4,000 micrograms. Your doctor may prescribe this amount. Women with spina bifida have a higher risk of having children with the condition. |
| Take medicines to treat, type 2,, or | Talk to your doctor or nurse. Folic acid supplements can interact with these medicines. |
| Are on dialysis for kidney disease | Talk to your doctor or nurse. |
| Have a health condition, such as or, that affects how your body absorbs folic acid | Talk to your doctor or nurse. |
Yes, certain groups of women do not get enough folic acid each day.
- Women who can get pregnant need more folic acid (400 to 800 micrograms).
- Nearly one in three African-American women does not get enough folic acid each day.
- Spanish-speaking Mexican-American women often do not get enough folic acid. However, Mexican-Americans who speak English usually get enough folic acid.
Not getting enough folic acid can cause health problems, including, and for you and your unborn baby. If you do not get enough folic acid before and during pregnancy, your baby is at higher risk for neural tube defects. Neural tube defects are serious birth defects that affect the spine, spinal cord, or brain and may cause death. These include:
- Spina bifida, This condition happens when an unborn baby’s spinal column does not fully close during development in the womb, leaving the spinal cord exposed. As a result, the nerves that control the legs and other organs do not work. Children with spina bifida often have lifelong disabilities. They may also need many surgeries.
- (an-en-SEF-uh-lee), This means that most or all of the brain and skull does not develop in the womb. Almost all babies with this condition die before or soon after birth.
Yes. All women who can get pregnant need to take 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid every day, even if you’re not planning to get pregnant. There are several reasons why:
- Your birth control may not work or you may not use birth control correctly every time you have sex. In a survey by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost 40% of women with unplanned pregnancies were using birth control.
- Birth defects of the brain and spine can happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before you know you are pregnant. By the time you find out you are pregnant, it might be too late to prevent the birth defects.
- You need to take folic acid every day because it is a water soluble B-vitamin. Water soluble means that it does not stay in the body for a long time. Your body metabolizes (uses) folic acid quickly, so your body needs folic acid each day to work properly.
Folate is found naturally in some foods. Foods that are naturally high in folate include:
- Spinach and other dark green, leafy vegetables
- Oranges and orange juice
- Nuts
- Beans
- Poultry (chicken, turkey, etc.) and meat
- Whole grains
Folic acid is added to foods that are refined or processed (not whole grain):
- Breakfast cereals (Some have 100% of the recommended daily value — or 400 micrograms — of folic acid in each serving.)
- Breads and pasta
- Flours
- Cornmeal
- White rice
Since 1998, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has required food manufacturers to add folic acid to processed breads, cereals, flours, cornmeal, pastas, rice, and other grains. For other foods, check the on the package to see if it has folic acid.
The label will also tell you how much folic acid is in each serving. Sometimes, the label will say “folate” instead of folic acid. You can get enough folic acid from food alone. Many breakfast cereals have 100% of your recommended daily value (400 micrograms) of folic acid. If you are at, your doctor or nurse may recommend that you take a vitamin with folic acid every day.
Most U.S. multivitamins have at least 400 micrograms of folic acid. Check the label on the bottle to be sure. You can also take a pill that contains only folic acid. If swallowing pills is hard for you, try a chewable or liquid product with folic acid. Look for “USP” or “NSF” on the label when choosing vitamins.
- These “seals of approval” mean the pills are made properly and have the amounts of vitamins it says on the label.
- Also, make sure the pills have not expired.
- If the bottle has no expiration date, do not buy it.
- Ask your pharmacist for help with selecting a vitamin or folic acid-only pill.
- If you are pregnant and already take a daily prenatal vitamin, you probably get all the folic acid you need.
Check the label to be sure.
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What happens if I miss my folic acid?
If you forget to take it – Missing 1 or 2 doses probably will not matter. But if you keep forgetting to take your folic acid, or you do not want to take it, speak to your doctor. If you forget to take folic acid, what to do depends on how often you take it:
once a day – take your missed dose as soon as you remember, unless it’s nearly time for your next dose. In this case skip the missed dose and just take your next dose at the usual time. If you remember on the day you take your methotrexate, wait a day and take your missed dose the following day once a week – take your missed dose as soon as you remember, unless you take methotrexate that day. If you remember on the day you take your methotrexate, wait a day and take your missed dose the following day. After this, go back to taking your weekly dose on your usual day
Never take 2 doses to make up for a forgotten one. If you often forget doses, it may help to set an alarm to remind you. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.
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Can folic acid make you pregnant?
How long after taking folic acid will I get pregnant? – Everybody is different when it comes to fertility and the likelihood of conceiving. Folic acid supplements when taken as part of a multivitamin are associated with an increased likelihood of pregnancy.
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Is it better to take folic acid in the morning or evening?
Skip to content We get questions all the time about folic acid and its benefits for women. To help, we’ve answered five commonly asked questions about the B-vitamin and its use. Who should take folic acid? All women of child bearing age should make folic acid part of their daily regimen.
We suggest women start as early as 10 years old as the younger we are the easier it is to develop healthy habits. We suggest folic acid even for women who are not planning on getting pregnant since more than half of all pregnancies in the United States are unplanned. For the full effects and benefits of the supplement, it must be in the woman’s system for at least one month before conception.
Which birth defects do folic acid help to prevent? Folic acid has been found to reduce the risk of the following neural tube defects (NTDs) by as much as 70%:
Spina bifida Anencephaly Congenital heart disease Cleft lip and palate Limb reduction defects Obstructive uropathies
What is the best time of day to take folic acid? Most nutritionists say to take supplements, like folic acid, in the morning. Digestion slows at night, so taking your vitamins in the morning will allow for better and more efficient absorption into your system.
Also, for some, B vitamins like folic acid can stimulate metabolism and brain function at a high enough rate that it can make sleeping more difficult. How much folic acid should I take? According to the U.S. Public Health Service, U.S. Preventative Services Task Force, March of Dimes, the Institute of Medicine, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), all women of childbearing age in the United States who are capable of becoming pregnant should consume 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid per day.
Most prenatal supplements contain between 0.4mg and 0.8mg of folic acid and either is considered safe and acceptable for women planning to become pregnant or who are pregnant. In addition, women should eat a healthy diet including foods rich in folic acid.
Most women get only about 200 micrograms of folic acid a day from their diets. With or without food? In the case of most vitamins, it’s better not to take them on an empty stomach. However, with folic acid, women are advised to take them before a meal to make sure it is fully absorbed into the system.
We also suggest taking your B9 vitamin with water. For answers to more questions about folic acid, visit our FAQ page, Folic Acid Admin 2021-09-24T17:21:35+00:00 Page load link Go to Top
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