Folic acid, the synthetic form of vitamin B, is an essential element in the diet of any woman of childbearing age and especially for those who want to become pregnant.

If the diet is not sufficiently rich in foods that contain it, the gynecologists recommend taking supplements three months before conception.




           


Folic acid helps in cell regeneration, and most women need it for bringing their babies that are about to come healthy in this world.

Because of the fact that the daily diet does not provide, in most of the cases, the optimal dose, or it is not being absorbed efficiently by the body from the natural sources, when planning to become pregnant the women are advised to start taking supplements (in the form of vitamins, pills) a few months before the conception and to continue taking them during the first trimester of pregnancy.


In this way, babies are safe from risks, and brain and spinal cord are developing normally.

Otherwise, it may appear the danger of miscarriage or the little one to come into the world with a neural tube defect:

1. Spina Bifida

- A congenital malformation of the spine that includes the presence of lesions of different severity and prognosis.

It is also known as split spine. To be more specific, the baby may have affected the nerves that control leg movement in particular; they can have serious disabilities and may need many surgeries.

In addition, they may remain paralyzed from the waist down and they also may have problems with bladder or bowels.


2. Anencephaly

- A serious congenital malformation that involves the whole brain or only a part of it not being normally developed.

These babies die before birth or shortly after they came into the world.


All these defects occur usually within the first 28 days of pregnancy, before realizing that you are pregnant.

That is why all women of childbearing age need 0.4 to 1 mg of folic acid daily - the amount varying according to medical opinion, even when not planning to become mothers.

In this way, accidental pregnancy will not cause problems like this.

Lactating women need 0.5 milligrams of folic acid daily and women who have children born with spina bifida or anencephaly doctors require bigger doses if they want to get pregnant again.

The same thing is also available for the women who have blood relatives that are diagnosed with spina bifida.

Anyways, there’s no need for you to panic, but to be careful and to constantly talk with your doctor about what you should do for being sure you have a healthy child.




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