What should pregnant women pay attention to when taking folic acid

Folic acid is very beneficial for pregnant women, as it can prevent fetal malformations and anemia in pregnant women. Therefore, it is recommended that pregnant women take a certain dose of folic acid during the period of waiting for delivery. However, there are some issues to pay attention to when taking folic acid. If taken improperly, it will have adverse effects on pregnant women. Let’s take a look at what pregnant women should pay attention to when taking folic acid.

(1) Start taking folic acid supplements three months before pregnancy

During the first three months of pregnancy, the human body's neural tube begins to develop and nerve cells begin to divide. If folic acid is deficient at this time, the neural tube will not develop completely and deformed babies may easily occur. If folic acid is supplemented at this critical time, the risk of neural tube disease in the fetus can be reduced by 50% to 70%. Therefore, women should start taking folic acid supplements in the first three months of pregnancy preparation; in the early stages of pregnancy, take folic acid for another three months; in the late stages of pregnancy, folic acid can be taken appropriately depending on the situation.

(2) Take one small tablet daily

There are currently two folic acid formulations on the market, one containing 5 mg per tablet and the other containing 0.4 mg per tablet. Pregnant women should take a small dose, one tablet a day is enough. Excessive intake of folic acid not only fails to prevent fetal malformations, but may also mask the symptoms of vitamin B12 deficiency, interfere with zinc metabolism, and cause adverse consequences such as zinc deficiency or nerve damage in pregnant women. If you do not conceive after taking folic acid for three months, you should continue to take folic acid supplements until three months after pregnancy.

(3) Folic acid should not be taken together with vitamin C

Folic acid is easily destroyed in an acidic environment and is relatively stable in alkaline and neutral environments; while vitamin C and vitamins B2 and B6 are relatively stable in an acidic environment. If you take vitamin C, vitamin B2 and vitamin B6 while supplementing folic acid, the absorption rate will be affected because their stable environments conflict with each other. In view of this, it is best to take the two drugs at least half an hour apart.

From the above, we can see that there are some contraindications to taking folic acid. If you want to maximize the effectiveness of folic acid, you should start taking it before you become pregnant. Also, be careful when taking it. Excessive doses will lead to increased uric acid in women, which is not good for the health of pregnant women. If you want to absorb it well, you should also be careful to avoid taking it with other medicines or nutritional supplements.