During pregnancy, we must take care of our diet and our habits, because in addition to the fact that now our body requires more care, the baby needs to receive certain nutrients and vitamins necessary for healthy development.
One of them is folic acid, which is essential to take during pregnancy. Therefore, we tell you all about folic acid, an essential vitamin for a healthy pregnancy.
What is folic acid and why it is important in pregnancy
Folic acid belongs to the group of vitamins B and it is a synthetic form of vitamin B9 or folate. Together with vitamin B12, it contributes to the creation of red blood cells, helping to prevent anemias.
In Babies and more Folic acid in pregnancy: why is it important?Also, folic acid is vital for nerve function and DNA formation, promoting the proper functioning of the body in general.
We all need folic acid and approximately 400 mg of this vitamin is needed daily. But nevertheless, an extra contribution is required during pregnancy, since the lack of it can cause serious defects in the baby's neural tube, such as spina bifida or anencephaly.
Usually, that extra contribution of folic acid is recommended by the doctor or gynecologist through supplements or special vitamins for pregnancy.
When to start taking it
Although folic acid is usually related as one of the vitamins that should be taken during pregnancy, the truth is that all women of childbearing age and who plan to have children soon should take it Even if they're not expecting a baby yet
In fact, it is recommended that it be taken at least two months before the beginning of pregnancy and until week 12, as neural tube defects usually originate during the first weeks of pregnancy, so they could occur before many women know they are pregnant.
In Babies and more Folic acid in pregnancy: when to start taking it?If you have enough folic acid in the body before pregnancy, most neural tube defects could be prevented, as well as other congenital defects, such as cleft lip, cleft palate and some heart problems.
How much folic acid do we need
Despite being an essential vitamin for pregnancy, many women do not have the recommended amount of folic acid daily. In general, it is recommended that all women of childbearing age and with plans to conceive take a vitamin supplement of 400 micrograms folic acid per day.
During pregnancy, this amount should be higher, although the amount may vary depending on certain health conditions of the mother, as well as her medical history:
- For women at high risk of having a child with a neural tube defect, that is, having a previous child who has presented it, they should consult their doctor before the next pregnancy to know the appropriate amount of folic acid they should take .
- Women with diabetes, epilepsy or obesity are more likely to have a baby with neural tube defects, so your doctor should tell you if you should take a higher dose of folic acid.
Where can we get it
As we have mentioned, it is usual to obtain folic acid through a vitamin supplement, but it is also possible to obtain it through certain foods and following a healthy and balanced diet.
Between the foods richer in folic acid that we can consume, the following stand out:
- Asparagus, which when consumed cooked provide up to 262 mcg of folic acid per cup.
- Spinach, which provide 263 mcg of folic acid per cup.
- Chickpeas, contributing 282 mcg per cup.
- Lentils, of which half a cup provides 180 mcg of folic acid.
- Avocado, which provides up to 110 mcg of folic acid per cup.
- Broccoli, where a cup provides about 104 mcg of folic acid.
- Nuts, among which stand out peanuts, which provide 88 mcg in a quarter cup.
In Babies and more27 foods rich in folic acid and how to consume them to make the most of them In summary, folic acid is an essential vitamin for a healthy pregnancy and that helps prevent the aforementioned congenital defects, so it is important to take it as a supplement from before pregnancy, and accompany it with a healthy and balanced diet.
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