How To Eat Folic Acid Before Pregnancy?

Folic acid before and during pregnancy – It’s important to take a 400 micrograms folic acid tablet every day before you’re pregnant and until you’re 12 weeks pregnant. Folic acid can help prevent birth defects known as neural tube defects, including spina bifida,
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How do I take folic acid to get pregnant?

Take a folic acid supplement – It’s recommended that you should take a daily supplement of folic acid when you’re pregnant, or there’s a chance you might get pregnant. You should take a 400 microgram supplement of folic acid every day before you get pregnant, and every day afterwards, up until you’re 12 weeks pregnant.

1. A microgram is 1,000 times smaller than a milligram (mg).
2. The word microgram is sometimes written with the Greek symbol μ followed by the letter g (μg).
3. Folic acid reduces the risk of your baby having a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida,
4. A neural tube defect is when the foetus’s spinal cord (part of the body’s nervous system) does not form normally.

You might be advised to take a higher dose supplement of 5 milligram (5mg) every day. You may need to take a 5mg supplement of folic acid if:

you or the baby’s other biological parent have a neural tube defectyou previously had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defectyou or the baby’s other biological parent have a family history of neural tube defectsyou have diabetesyou take anti-epilepsy medicine

Talk to a GP if you think you need a 5mg dose of folic acid, as they can prescribe a higher dose. You can get folic acid tablets at pharmacies, or talk to a GP about getting a prescription. Do not worry if you get pregnant unexpectedly and were not taking a folic acid supplement at the time. Start taking them as soon as you find out, until you’re past the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
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What is the best time to eat folic acid?

Dose before and during early pregnancy – It is recommended to take folic acid while you’re trying for a baby (ideally for 3 months before) and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. The usual dose if you’re trying to get pregnant and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is 400 micrograms, taken once a day.
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Will folic acid help me get pregnant?

There are so many exciting moments to look forward to when trying to get pregnant – discovering the gender, feeling your baby kick for the first time, setting up the nursery – and finally, meeting your tiny bundle of joy. However, if you’re trying to conceive, the most important thing to focus on is making sure your body is a strong and healthy environment for your baby to develop.
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When is the best time to get pregnant?

Understanding your menstrual cycle – Your menstrual cycle begins on the first day of your period and continues up to the first day of your next period. You’re most fertile at the time of ovulation (when an egg is released from your ovaries), which usually occurs 12 to 14 days before your next period starts.

• This is the time of the month when you’re most likely to get pregnant.
• It’s unlikely that you’ll get pregnant just after your period, although it can happen.
• It’s important to remember that sperm can sometimes survive in the body for up to 7 days after you have sex.
• This means it may be possible to get pregnant soon after your period finishes if you ovulate early, especially if you have a naturally short menstrual cycle.

You should always use contraception when you have sex if you don’t want to become pregnant.
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Can I eat banana after taking folic acid?

– Rich in a wide variety of vitamins and minerals, bananas are a nutritional powerhouse, They’re especially high in folate and can easily help you meet your daily needs when paired with a few other folate-rich foods. A medium banana can supply 23.6 mcg of folate, or 6% of the DV ( 36 ).
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Is it OK to take folic acid at night?

How to take folic acid –

• If you are taking folic acid every day, take it at the same time each day, either in the morning OR in the evening.
• Take your folic acid tablets with a glass of water.
• You can take folic acid with or without food.
• If you forget to take your dose, take it as soon as you remember.

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How many tablets of folic acid should I take a day?

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.

1. 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.
2. 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 you take folic acid when not pregnant?

Why Do You Need Folic Acid if You’re Not Pregnant? – For starters, 40 percent of pregnancies across the globe are unplanned. Therefore, taking folic acid if you’re a woman and not pregnant helps ensure you have adequate levels of folate for a developing fetus before you find out you’re pregnant.
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