Folic acid during pregnancy – why folacin for pregnant women?

Also called “folacin”, medicine refers to folic acid as B vitamins (namely, B9). Its natural source is some food, vegetables, cereals. Folic acid is usually prescribed during pregnancy or planning to minimize the risk of fetal abnormalities.

What are the benefits of folic acid for the body, and why is this vitamin so important for the baby and the expectant mother?

Read: 15 Foods That Have The Most Folate.

The content of the article:

Benefits of folic acid for pregnant women

• Starting from the 2nd week of pregnancy, the formation of a neural tube in the embryo takes place. It is from it that the nervous system, spinal cord, future placenta and umbilical cord develop. Taking folic acid helps prevent neural tube abnormalities: spinal cord fractures, cerebral hernia, hydrocephalus, etc.
  
• Lack of folacin leads to disruption of placenta formation and, as a consequence, to the risk of miscarriage.
• Folacin is necessary for the full development of the fetus, its organs and tissues.… In addition, he is directly involved in the synthesis of RNA, in the formation of leukocytes, in the absorption of iron.
• Folic acid reduces the risk of mental retardation at the born crumbs.

Folic acid is also important for the mother herself. Folacin deficiency can cause anemia in pregnant women and leg pain, depression, toxicosis and other troubles.

Folacin when planning pregnancy

Considering the fact that folic acid is a necessity for the full formation of the organs of the future crumbs, it is mandatory to prescribe it to every expectant mother. for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy…

Ideally taking B9 should be started even when planning a child – after all, already in the first days after conception, the fetus needs folic acid for normal development and the formation of a healthy placenta.

What else do you need to know?

• Why take folacin during pregnancy planning? First of all, to reduce the risk of pathologies (cleft lip, hydrocephalus, cerebral hernia, etc.), for the synthesis of DNA and RNA.
• When to start taking folacin? The best option if the reception begins 3 months before the scheduled date of conception. But if the mother did not have time, was not informed, or did not even realize that she was pregnant (underline the necessary) – start taking B9 as soon as you learned about your new status. Of course, after consulting a gynecologist, who will prescribe the correct dosage.
• Folic acid – how should you take it? First, we introduce into our traditional diet foods that contain it – vegetables with green leaves, herbs, orange juice, liver / kidneys, whole grain bread, nuts, yeast. We focus on fresh products (heat treatment destroys folic acid). Naturally, the control of folacin, which enters the mother’s body with food, is simply impossible. Therefore, when planning and pregnancy, doctors strongly recommend taking folacin tablets.
• Who is folic acid for? First of all, the expectant mother. But the future dad (when planning a pregnancy) will benefit from her positive influence on the formation and mobility of healthy sperm.
• Folacin dosage – how much to take? Traditionally, the norm of vitamin B9 for a woman planning a pregnancy is 0.4 mg / day. Dad will also need 0.4 mg. If there are pathologies in the family (relatives) caused by folacin deficiency, the rate is increased to 2 mg; at the birth of a child with these pathologies – up to 4 mg.

Only the doctor determines the dosage – in accordance with each case, self-administration of the drug is unacceptable (an excess of folacin will also not be beneficial).

The Bologny.ru website warns: self-medication can harm your health! Use all the presented tips only on the recommendation of a doctor!