Taking folic acid tablets during pregnancy does not fatten and serves to ensure a healthy pregnancy and healthy development of the baby, preventing injuries to the baby’s neural tube and diseases. The ideal dose should be guided by the obstetrician and it is advisable to start using it at least 1 month before becoming pregnant.
This consumption should start very early because the neural tube, a fundamental structure for the complete development of the baby’s nervous system, closes in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, when the woman may not have discovered that she is pregnant.
- Folic acid during pregnancy is used to reduce the risk of damage to the baby’s neural tube.
- Preventing conditions such as:.
In addition, folic acid is also responsible for placenta formation and DNA development, as well as decreased risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy. Learn about all the symptoms this complication can cause in preeclampsia.
Generally, the recommended dose of folic acid during pregnancy is 600 mcg per day, but since most pills used are 1, 2 and 5 mg, it is common for your doctor to recommend taking 1 mg, to facilitate medication. Some of the supplements that may be recommended include Folicil, Endofolin, Enfol, Folacin or Acfol, for example.
In some particular cases, for example when the woman is obese, epileptic or has had children with a nervous system deficiency, the recommended doses may be higher, reaching 5 mg a day.
Medications are not the only source of folic acid, as this nutrient is also present in many dark green vegetables, such as kale, arugula or broccoli, for example. In addition, some processed foods such as wheat flour have been reinforced with this nutrient to avoid food shortages.
Some folic acid-rich foods that should be consumed regularly include
This type of food ensures sufficient amounts of folic acid for the body, and this nutrient is also very important for the baby’s father who, like the mother, must depend on the consumption of these foods to ensure the correct development of the baby. See other foods rich in this nutrient in foods rich in folic acid.
See also why vitamin C and E supplements are not recommended during pregnancy.
Although folic acid has several benefits for the health and development of the baby, and can even prevent autism, if consumed in excessive doses, there may be an increased risk of autism.
This suspicion exists because many mothers of autistic children have a large amount of folic acid in their blood during pregnancy have been observed. Therefore, this risk does not occur if supplemented with folic acid at the recommended doses of approximately 600 mcg per day, and only to be careful to avoid excessive consumption, and it is important that any nutritional supplement or drug use is advised during this period. . by the doctor.