Benefits of folic acid during pregnancy

During the perinatal period, the female body undergoes serious metamorphoses and requires special attention. Now for normal functioning it needs even more vitamins and other important elements that are difficult to obtain in sufficient quantities through nutrition. One of the important elements during pregnancy is folic acid, which is prescribed to absolutely all mothers in the first trimester. What role does it play and is it really necessary?

What are the benefits of folic acid during pregnancy?

Lack of folic acid is observed in almost every person, but not everyone knows about their “diagnosis”. But if in an ordinary adult the lack of vitamin is not so pronounced, then in a pregnant woman the deficiency is fraught with serious problems. Clear signs of folic acid deficiency are: vomiting, diarrhea, hair loss, formation of mouth ulcers, irritability, and fatigue. In especially severe cases, with severe and prolonged vitamin deficiency, megaloblastic disease can be diagnosed. anemia, the consequence of which can be death.

Folic acid has a great influence on the formation of DNA and RNA code, which ensures the full growth and development of the baby. This prevents the development of cancer. Vitamin B9 takes an active part in the formation of the placenta, so if there is a deficiency, FPN can form, which will jeopardize the further development of pregnancy. Folic acid is responsible for the process of cell division, which is very important for the normal growth of the unborn baby.

It is also worth noting the direct effect of vitamin B9 on the formation of the baby’s neural tube. When shortage  this  acids  in  body   For the expectant mother, the risk of developing pathologies in the child increases manifold, including: congenital deformities;

• retardation in physical and mental development;
• lack of brain in the born;
• spinal defects;
• cerebral hernias;
• premature birth;
• stillbirth.

Folic acid is needed not only for the baby, but also for the mother herself. Thus, with a deficiency of this element, severe toxicosis, anemia, depression, pain in the legs, etc. are observed. 

Almost all pregnant women are prescribed to take this drug, but you still cannot drink it without a doctor’s permission. Since it is the doctor who must determine the dosage and period of taking vitamin B9. The start of treatment, as a rule, is as soon as pregnancy is confirmed by doctors, although ideally the course should be started from the moment of pregnancy planning.

Remember that a lack of folic acid is inevitably passed on to the baby, so you should take care of a worthy “inheritance” in advance to ensure good health for your child!

Folic acid dosage during pregnancy

To cover an adult’s daily requirement for this substance, you need to take 0.2 mg, but during the perinatal period, the need for vitamin B9 increases manifold. In a minimum amount, this vitamin should be supplied in an amount of 0.4 mg per day, but not more than 0.8 mg.  However, there are cases when a pregnant woman is at risk when there is a serious lack of folic acid, then the doctor increases the daily dosage to 5 mg. 

You can calculate the required number of folic acid tablets by studying the packaging for the drug. A common dosage option is 1,000 mcg (that's 1 mg). Often doctors prescribe a similar dosage in the amount of 1 tablet per day. In cases of serious deficiency of the vitamin, a more powerful medication may be prescribed, where in just one tablet the concentration of folic acid reaches 5,000 mcg.

There is one important factor to consider before taking a separate folic acid supplement. If you are simultaneously taking multivitamins for pregnant women, they often also contain a significant amount of acid, so before taking the drug prescribed by your doctor, warn him about the vitamins.

How to take folic acid during pregnancy

Folic acid supplement is taken immediately after meals in the dosage prescribed by the doctor. The duration of treatment is also set by the gynecologist, taking into account the individual characteristics of the pregnant woman’s body.

Many mothers are interested in the issue of a possible overdose of the drug. You can calm down - this acid is absolutely non-toxic, and if there is an excess of the substance, the body gets rid of it on its own. But you should still be careful, since there is a strong excess of folic acid becomes the cause  a decrease in the level of vitamin B12, and this is already fraught with the development of anemia, the appearance of problems in the functioning of the gastrointestinal tract, kidney ailments and nervous excitability. To develop such problems, you need to greatly overestimate the dosage of acid for 3 months, but it is unlikely that in a normal state during this period a woman will take 15 tablets of the drug daily.