What should you pay attention to when supplementing folic acid during pregnancy

It is very necessary to supplement folic acid during pregnancy, which can effectively prevent fetal neural tube defects. So what should you pay attention to when supplementing folic acid during pregnancy? Next, this article will introduce to you what you need to pay attention to when supplementing folic acid during pregnancy, for your reference only. Friends who want to know what to pay attention to when supplementing folic acid during pregnancy can take a look.

1. Usually, expectant mothers should start taking folic acid supplements in the first three months of planned pregnancy, because in the first three months of pregnancy, the fetus's nervous system begins to develop and cells begin to divide. If there is a lack of folic acid at this time, it can easily lead to incomplete fetal neurodevelopment and deformities. In the early stages of pregnancy, take folic acid for another three months. In the late stages of pregnancy, take an appropriate amount of folic acid under the guidance of a doctor depending on the situation.

2. According to the standards set by the World Health Organization, 0.4 mg per day is sufficient in the three months before preparing for pregnancy and the first three months of early pregnancy. The content of folic acid tablets and multivitamin tablets produced by different pharmaceutical companies varies, so expectant mothers should be careful to identify them. Excess folic acid will be excreted from the body in the urine, but pregnant women taking large doses of folic acid may affect the absorption of zinc, leading to zinc deficiency, fetal growth retardation, and an increase in the number of low birth weight babies.

3. During the pregnancy preparation period, both parents should take folic acid supplements. During the pregnancy preparation period, both the prospective father and mother should supplement some folic acid in an appropriate amount, and the best time to supplement folic acid should not be missed. Supplement folic acid in time to avoid being caught off guard when the baby arrives. For men who are planning to be fathers, insufficient folic acid will reduce the concentration of semen. Therefore, in order to successfully conceive, it is also crucial for men to supplement folic acid in appropriate amounts.

4. Folic acid cannot be taken at the same time as vitamin C. Folic acid is relatively stable in alkaline and neutral environments, which is beneficial for pregnant women to absorb, but it is easily destroyed in an acidic environment, while vitamin C is more stable in an acidic environment. Since the stable environments of the two are in conflict, if you need to supplement them at the same time, in order to avoid affecting the absorption rate, it is best to take them at least half an hour apart.

5. Follow your doctor's advice when taking folic acid tablets. The total amount of folic acid in the human body is 5 to 6 mg, but the human body cannot synthesize folic acid and can only be obtained from food and digested and absorbed. But what expectant mothers should remember is that they must take folic acid tablets under the guidance of a doctor and not buy them blindly on their own. Because the more folic acid you take, the better. Excessive intake of folic acid may increase the risk of some progressive, unknown neurological damage. Clinical data show that the upper limit of folic acid intake that expectant mothers can tolerate is 1,000 micrograms. Generally, supplementing 400 to 800 micrograms of folic acid per day can meet the growth needs of the fetus and their own needs.

The above is an introduction to what you need to pay attention to when supplementing folic acid during pregnancy. I believe that after reading the above introduction, you will have a better understanding of the relevant matters that need to be paid attention to when supplementing folic acid during pregnancy. From the above introduction, we can understand that it is best to start supplementing folic acid during pregnancy three months before pregnancy. It would be best if the expectant father also takes folic acid during the pregnancy preparation period. However, for friends who want to supplement folic acid, they must purchase and take it under the guidance of a doctor!