When is the best time to supplement folic acid during pregnancy?

Pregnancy is a very exciting thing for every married female friend. However, during pregnancy, it is best to pay attention to diet and properly supplement some necessary elements for the body, as well as things that are helpful for the healthy development of the fetus, such as folic acid. How long does a woman need to be pregnant before supplementing folic acid will be better for the fetus? Below, I will introduce some reasons and benefits of folic acid supplementation during pregnancy.

Folic acid can be said to be one of the most important nutrients in early pregnancy. It is generally recommended to continue supplementing from the time you plan to become pregnant until the first three months of pregnancy. This is because folic acid must be supplemented continuously at 400 micrograms for one month to reach a concentration in the blood sufficient to prevent the occurrence of neural tube diseases.

Another reason why you should start supplementing your baby's nutrition three months before pregnancy is that the most important period for the differentiation and formation of the neural tube is four to six weeks into pregnancy. If some pregnant women find out they are pregnant after five or six weeks, if you start supplementing your baby's nutrition at this time, you will have missed the most important period. If you know you are pregnant and you continue to take supplements during the first three months, it will no longer be effective in preventing neural tube defects. If you take supplements, folic acid is also an important nutrient. For example, it participates in the synthesis of hemoglobin and is also a very important nutrient. It can perform its other functions and can be taken throughout pregnancy.

Folic acid is very special. Synthetic folic acid has a better absorption and utilization rate than folic acid from food sources, and the absorption and utilization rate is almost twice that of folic acid from food sources. Leafy vegetables, animal liver, and beans are rich in folic acid, but the absorption and utilization rate after eating them is not high. In addition to advising pregnant women to consume more foods rich in folic acid, we also provide regular supplements.

It is generally accepted internationally that pregnant women supplement with 0.4 mg. From the time you plan to get pregnant, you can supplement up to one milligram.

You can also eat some foods that can supplement folic acid, such as green bamboo shoots, spinach, etc., which contain a certain amount of folic acid. It will be beneficial to eat a moderate amount of them every day. It is best to supplement some vitamins, proteins and iron, which are very helpful for the health of the fetus and pregnant women.