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News you need to know about folic acid and pregnancy

Did you take your folic acid today? The CDC urges every woman who could become pregnant to get 400 micrograms (400 mcg) of folic acid every day. There are 3,000 pregnancies affected by spina bifida or anencephaly, which are neural tube defects caused by the incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord. If women take 400 mcg of folic acid daily, before and during pregnancy, they can help reduce their risk of having a pregnancy affected by a neural tube by up to 70%.

What is folic acid?

Folic acid is a B vitamin. Our bodies use it to make new cells and can help prevent serious birth defects of the brain and the spine. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before she is pregnant, it can help prevent serious birth defects of her baby's brain and spine. These birth defects are neural tube defects or NTDs. Women need to take folic acid every day, starting before they are pregnant to help prevent NTDs.

How much should I take?

The U. S. Public Health Service and CDC recommend that all women of childbearing age consume 0.4 mg (400 micrograms) of folic acid daily to prevent two common and serious birth defects, spina bifida and anencephaly.

When should I start taking folic acid?

These birth defects of the brain and spine happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman finds out that she is pregnant. All women should get in the habit of taking folic acid daily even when they are not planning to get pregnant. For folic acid to help, a woman needs to take it every day, starting at least one month before she becomes pregnant.

Where do I find folic acid?

The B vitamin folic acid helps prevent birth defects. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and while she is pregnant, her baby is less likely to have a major birth defect of the brain or spine.

You can get your vitamin with folic acid without prescription in one of several ways. You can take a multivitamin or a small, single supplement of folic acid. These days, multivitamins with folic acid come in chewable chocolate or fruit flavors, liquids, and large oval or smaller round pills. Many stores offer a single folic acid supplement for just pennies a day.

Another good choice is a store brand multivitamin, which includes most of the vitamins you need each day. Unless your doctor suggests a special type, you do not need to choose among vitamins for women or active people, or even to go with a low carbohydrate diet. A basic multivitamin meets the needs of most women.

Another way to get enough is to eat a serving of breakfast cereal every day that has been enriched with 100% of the daily value of folic acid. Not every cereal has this amount. Check the label on the side of the box, and look for one that has "100%" next to folic acid.

How Much Is Enough? Look for 100% Daily Value (DV)

One easy way a woman can be sure she is getting enough folic acid is to take a vitamin that has folic acid in it every day. Folic acid pills and most multivitamins sold in the United States have 100% of the daily value (DV) of folic acid; check the label to be sure.

You can get your vitamin with folic acid in one of several ways. You can take a multivitamin or a small, single supplement of folic acid. These days, multivitamins with folic acid come in chewable chocolate or fruit flavors, liquids, and large oval or smaller round pills. Many stores offer a single folic acid supplement for just pennies a day.

Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, "Did you take your folic acid today?"

The information provided in this article by the CDC is news that iMOM thinks you need to know. Recommendations are the opinions of the CDC and not necessarily those of iMOM. Medical information within this site is not intended for use in the diagnosis or treatment of any health condition. Please consult a licensed health care professional for the treatment or diagnosis of any medical condition.