What will be the impact on the fetus if not taking folic acid in the first three months of pregnancy?
The first three months of pregnancy is the period of fastest fetal development, and the supply of maternal nutrients at this time is crucial to fetal development. Folic acid is an important B vitamin that is essential for the development of the nervous system and body cells. Failure to consume enough folic acid during the first three months of pregnancy will have significant consequences for the fetus.
Impact 1: Neural tube defects
Failure to consume enough folic acid in the first three months of pregnancy can easily lead to neural tube defects in the fetus. Neural tube defects are caused by problems with the formation of the nervous system during embryonic development, resulting in incomplete merging of the neural tubes, resulting in deformed babies. This malformation is common in diseases such as spinal cord insufficiency and meningiomas.
Impact 2: Cleft lip and cleft palate
Folic acid deficiency can also lead to cleft lip and palate, deformities that occur when the developing oral and facial tissues do not fully merge, preventing the structures inside and outside the fetus\’s mouth from fully connecting. Cleft lip makes oral infections and eating more difficult, while cleft palate affects pronunciation, eating, drinking, and breathing.
Impact three: anemia
Pregnant women who consume too little folic acid can cause anemia, which can also affect the normal development of the fetus. Anemia will affect the oxygen transport in pregnant women, affect the oxygen supply to the fetus, and lead to developmental delays, pre-pregnancy hemolytic disease lesions and other diseases.
Impact 4: Cardiovascular disease
Insufficient folic acid before pregnancy also increases the risk of fetal cardiovascular disease. The cause of the disease and folic acid deficiency is due to a defect in the heart\’s formation process, which fails to merge adequately. Due to the complexity of cardiovascular disease, this disease needs to be detected early and treated promptly, otherwise it will lead to serious consequences.
Summary
Nutritional intake before pregnancy is crucial to fetal development. Adequate folic acid intake during the first three months of pregnancy can effectively reduce the risk of fetal neural tube defects, cleft lip, cleft palate, anemia and cardiovascular disease. Pregnant women need to increase their intake of folic acid, consult a doctor regularly, and get prenatal check-ups. During the pre-pregnancy preparation stage, you can take folic acid through food, or you can choose folic acid tablets for supplementation.
