The Importance Of Folic Acid During Pregnancy – You Are Mom

When a pregnant woman goes to her doctor, one of the first advice she will give will be to take folic acid during pregnancy. Consumption of this supplement by pregnant women is common. It is therefore important to know what it is doing for the body.

What is folic acid?

Also called folate or folacin, folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin (vitamin B9) belonging to group B.  Its presence in the leaves of spinach was discovered in the 1940s. Its name derives from the word ”  folia  “, which designates a leaf in Latin.

Following the synthesis of folacin, we obtain what is called folic acid, which is very popular among pregnant women. The folic acid plays an important role in the synthesis of nucleic acids, ie, DNA. This is because it helps the cells to duplicate themselves.

Consumption of this vitamin, although it is more common in pregnant women, may also be prescribed for other types of patients.

The benefits of consuming folic acid during pregnancy

1. It prevents premature labor

Ingesting folic acid at least twelve months before conception  reduces the risk of preterm delivery by up to 50%.

In addition,  this vitamin is ideal for preventing spinal deformities. It also reduces the risk of deformation of the baby’s head during pregnancy. The neural tube is the structure responsible for the appearance of the spine. Its development ends 28 days after gestation.

Folic acid  prevents malformatios from closing the neural tube. It also helps prevent diseases of the fetus, such as:

• Spina bifida.  This condition is the product of incomplete closure of the neural tube at the end of the embryo’s first month of life. It is an inherited disease that has two variants: spina bifida occulta or cystic or open spina bifida.
• The encephalocele.  A congenital disease in which one of the diverticula of the brain tissue and the meninge becomes detached. This produces visible malformations in the cranial vault.
• Anencephaly. It is about the lack of brain mass.

There are other benefits of ingesting folic acid during pregnancy. For example, it helps in strengthening heart health. In addition, it promotes cell division, which is essential for the development of tissues and organs of the fetus.

The recommended dose of folic acid during pregnancy

When a woman is planning to get pregnant,  it is advisable to start consuming folic acid three months before conception. In this pre-pregnancy period, the recommended dose is 400 micrograms per day. However, it can vary depending on the woman’s body.

During the first three months of gestation, the dose increases.  It then reaches between 600 and 800 micrograms per day. In these cases, too, the doses will depend on the individual needs of the woman.

Also, if the mother has a family history of babies born with neural tube defects, the dose is likely to be increased to 4000 micrograms per day.

Foods rich in folic acid

Beyond the pharmacological supplementation, the  women must have a diet rich in folic acid during pregnancy. There are foods of animal and plant origin that contain vitamin B9. But they contain insufficient amounts of the vitamin. Therefore, the woman must meet her daily needs with the help of diet and supplements.

Foods of plant origin

• Green leafy vegetables.  Romaine lettuce, turnip greens, spinach, Brussels sprouts, wild and kale.
• Fruits.  Grapefruit, grapes, oranges, hami melon, papaya and strawberries.
• Vegetables.  Asparagus, broccoli, okra, cauliflower, beets, celery, carrots, squash, beans and avocado.
• Seeds and nuts. Flax seeds, sunflower, walnuts, almonds and peanuts.

• Grains.  Peas, lentils, chickpeas, kidney beans, black beans, white beans and pinto.

Foods of animal origin

• Liver of beef
• Chicken offal
• Turkey liver
• Sea food
• Fish

Other artificially fortified foods also provide a healthy dose of folic acid. Some of them are whole grains, wheat flour and products made from them, like bread, for example.

In addition to the important benefits for the fetus from consuming folic acid during pregnancy, there are many more for women after pregnancy. For example, it strengthens the structure of the hair and prevents hair loss. It also prevents them from drying out, gives them shine and delays the appearance of gray hair.

Finally,  folic acid helps prevent anemia and helps in the absorption of nutrients such as protein and carbohydrates. As you can see, it is an essential nutrient in this step.