Why folic acid in pregnancy?
Animal and plant foods contain a group of water-soluble B vitamins called folates. After being absorbed through food, they are converted into an active form (tetrahydrofolate) in the body. In this form, they regulate many important cellular processes such as cell division and cell growth. This explains the great importance of folate in pregnancy. Good sources of folate include green leafy vegetables (spinach, lettuce), tomatoes, potatoes, eggs, whole grains, nuts, sprouts and legumes.
Although many foods contain folate, even diet-conscious people do not always manage to meet their needs through food. To prevent a deficiency, it is therefore advisable to take folic acid supplements, especially if you are planning to have children, during pregnancy and also while breastfeeding.
The following applies: 1 microgram folate equivalent corresponds to 1 microgram dietary folate or 0.5 microgram folic acid.
General information on folic acid (effect, standard values, etc.) can be found in the article Folic acid.
Importance of folic acid in pregnancy
In general, a chronic folic acid deficiency has a negative effect on cell formation (e.g. in blood cells), cell division and growth processes. However, these processes are of central importance, especially during pregnancy.
The possible consequences of a deficiency are correspondingly serious: for example, the mother-to-be may develop anemia if she has too little folic acid. In the embryo, an undersupply of folic acid increases the risk of so-called neural tube defects: Normally, the neural tube – the precursor of the brain and spinal cord – develops around the 17th day after fertilization and closes towards the end of the fourth week of pregnancy.
Taking folic acid supplements during pregnancy can reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the child by about 70 percent.
The extent to which a folic acid deficiency also increases the risk of fetal heart defects, urinary tract disorders, cleft lip and palate, low birth weight or premature birth is still the subject of scientific debate.
How much folic acid is needed during pregnancy?
Pregnant women need 550 micrograms of folic acid per day. To reach this amount, it is recommended to take folic acid supplements. Particularly in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, women should take 400 micrograms daily. The remaining requirement can usually be met by a folate-rich diet (green vegetables, tomatoes, potatoes, legumes, eggs, whole grains).
For the further course of pregnancy, doctors also recommend substituting 400 micrograms of folic acid per day with the help of dietary supplements.
Folic acid deficiency: Treatment
You have become pregnant unplanned and have not taken folic acid beforehand? Then your doctor can measure the folic acid level in your blood. If this reveals a folic acid deficiency, taking two to five milligrams of folic acid per day will help. The effect is usually seen quickly: blood values improve just three to four days after you start taking folic acid.
Why folic acid if you want to have children?
Folic acid plays an important role even before pregnancy, i.e. during bayb planning. A well-filled store ensures that the embryo can be adequately supplied by the maternal organism from the first day of pregnancy. The risk of fetal malformations in the event of a folic acid deficiency exists mainly in the first third of pregnancy, because this is when all organs are developing.
But how much folic acid is optimal for those who want to have children? The recommended dose – as in pregnancy – is 400 micrograms of folic acid per day in addition to a folate-rich diet.
The theory that folic acid helps to get pregnant more easily is not scientifically proven.
Should folic acid also be taken when breastfeeding?
Breastfeeding women also have an increased folate requirement and should therefore take folic acid preparations – as a supplement to a folate-rich diet. The recommended dose is 450 micrograms per day.
