Folic acid supplementation is an important means to prevent fetal neural tube defects. Generally speaking, you should pay attention to supplementing folic acid during pregnancy preparation. Experts suggest that it is best to start taking folic acid tablets 3 months before pregnancy. You should know that 3 months after pregnancy, the optimal daily intake is 0.4 mg.
Many couples of childbearing age know that folic acid supplementation for pregnant women can prevent fetal neural tube defects. So, when is the best time to take folic acid tablets? Do you know if it is useful to take folic acid tablets after pregnancy? What brand of folic acid tablets is best? Nowadays, many families can only have one child. Having a healthy baby has naturally become the top priority for every couple of childbearing age. If you want to have a healthy baby, the first thing you need to do is to supplement folic acid to keep your baby away from the risk of neural tube defects. Let’s listen to experts’ detailed answers to the folic acid question.
I didn’t take folic acid before I got pregnant, but I found it was still useful after I got pregnant.
Although more and more couples of childbearing age are planning to have children, there are still many unplanned pregnancies. The unexpected arrival of the baby surprises and delights the expectant parents. I\’m excited to be a parent, but I\’m surprised to hear that I need to take folic acid tablets before I get pregnant. Is it still useful to take folic acid tablets during pregnancy? In this regard, Wu Xiaoxia, director of Tianyuan Street Community Health Service Center in Tianhe District, Guangzhou, said that after finding out that she is pregnant, she still needs to take folic acid as long as she is within 3 months of pregnancy. Acid tablets.
Folic acid plays an important role in cell division and growth, and the synthesis of nucleic acids, amino acids and proteins. It is an indispensable nutrient for fetal growth and development. The first 3 months of pregnancy are a critical period for fetal neurological development. If the expectant mother lacks folic acid at this time, it can easily lead to fetal neural tube development defects and increase the incidence of spina bifida and anencephaly. Therefore, Director Wu suggested that it is best to start taking folic acid tablets 3 months before pregnancy and continue until 3 months after pregnancy. In view of the high number of unplanned pregnancies, couples of childbearing age should take folic acid tablets regardless of whether they plan to become pregnant.
Supplement folic acid, the more the better, too much can cause dementia in your baby
It is necessary to take folic acid tablets, but excessive folic acid intake not only fails to prevent fetal malformations, but can easily lead to zinc deficiency in expectant mothers. If an expectant mother continues to be deficient in zinc, it can lead to dementia in her baby.
Some expectant mothers not only take folic acid tablets, but also various nutritional supplements, such as maternal milk powder, multivitamin tablets, etc. Director Wu Xiaoxia told Family Doctor Online that multivitamin tablets and certain maternal milk powders contain folic acid. As long as expectant mothers take one multivitamin tablet or only drink maternal milk powder, it is generally safe. However, it is possible to overdose if you take folic acid tablets at the same time. The folic acid intake of an average expectant mother is 0.4 mg/day. If you are an expectant mother with a family history of neural tube defects, you should consult your doctor to increase the dosage appropriately.
Link: Eat more foods rich in folic acid before pregnancy
In fact, in addition to taking folic acid tablets, couples of childbearing age can also consume folic acid from their daily diet. Folic acid usuallyThe content is higher in various fruits and fresh vegetables, such as lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, oranges, strawberries, cherries, bananas, etc.; as well as animal livers, kidneys, poultry and eggs. Beans, nuts, etc. Pay attention to a balanced diet and eat more foods rich in folic acid, so you don\’t have to worry about folic acid deficiency harming your baby.
It is worth noting that incorrect cooking methods can cause the loss of folic acid in food. Therefore, vegetables should be washed first before picking. Do not cook vegetables and other foods at high temperatures for a long time, avoid fried foods, and wash vegetables that can be eaten raw as much as possible.