Women need to not only supplement with appropriate nutrition during pregnancy, but also increase the intake of folic acid to improve the quality of the fertilized egg and fetus, and prevent fetal malformation. However, although expectant mothers know they need to supplement with folic acid, they do not know how to do it correctly.
Reasons for Supplementing with Folic Acid
For women preparing for pregnancy and pregnant women, timely and sufficient supplementation of folic acid can not only effectively improve the quality of the fertilized egg and fetus, prevent neural tube defects in the fetus, prevent congenital diseases and cleft lip and palate deformities, but also prevent anemia in pregnant women and alleviate morning sickness.
Timing for Supplementing with Folic Acid
In the first three months of pregnancy, the neural tube in the human body begins to develop, and nerve cells start to divide. If there is a deficiency of folic acid at this time, the development of the neural tube will be incomplete, leading to the possibility of having a baby with malformations. Supplementing with folic acid during this critical period can reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the fetus by 50% to 70%. Therefore, women should start supplementing with folic acid three months before they plan to get pregnant; in early pregnancy, they should continue to take folic acid for three months; in late pregnancy, they can consider supplementing with folic acid depending on the situation. If there is no pregnancy as expected after three months of taking folic acid, continue to supplement with folic acid until three months into pregnancy.
Correct Method of Taking Folic Acid
For pregnant mothers, they need about 0.6 milligrams of folic acid per day, and the highest dosage should not exceed 1 milligram, as excessive folic acid intake can be dangerous. From food, pregnant mothers can obtain about 0.2 milligrams of folic acid per day, so they need to supplement the remaining 0.4 milligrams with folic acid supplements. It is best to take folic acid tablets in the morning or in the morning after breakfast for better absorption. Take one tablet a day, once a day, and avoid taking it with alcohol.
Taking excessive folic acid not only fails to prevent fetal malformations, but may also mask symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, interfere with zinc metabolism, and result in zinc deficiency or nerve damage in pregnant women. Therefore, supplementation with folic acid should also be done in moderation.
