Pregnancy and Folic Acid – Preconception Folic Acid Is Essential
You’re probably very familiar about the relationship between folic acid and pregnancy, that it’s essential to consume adequate folic acid daily during pregnancy. In fact, even during your attempt to conceive, your doctor will usually advice you to start taking folic acid.
Folic acid, or often called folate, is a B vitamin that can be naturally found in a number of foods, including dark-green leafy vegetables (such as kale and spinach), natural orange foods (such as oranges, yams, sweet potatoes and cantaloupe) and cereals.
Folic acid is known to play a vital role in human DNA synthesis and cellular division. It is indispensable for normal development of the brain, spinal cord and skull in a newly formed embryo. Adequate folic acid intake before and just after a woman got pregnant is vital to help protect against serious birth defects, including neutral tube defects, in her baby.
One of the most common birth defects is abnormal formation of the spine – spina bifida. In this condition, the spinal cord and column are not properly closed up. Taking folic acid can help reduce the risk of spina bifida significantly.
Other forms of birth defect, such as anencephaly, which is a serious underdevelopment of the brain, and encephalocele, which is abnormal protrusion of the brain tissue through an opening in the skin, can also be prevented through adequate folic acid intake.
All the defects mentioned above starts to develop during the first month of pregnancy, but women normally still don’t know that they are already pregnant by then. That’s why taking folic acid even before you get pregnant is of paramount importance.
However, you’re not likely to get adequate folic acid from the food you eat daily, that’s why it’s recommended that you start taking a good preconception multivitamin that contains folic acid or additional folic acid supplement, once you plan to get pregnant. This will help to support your pregnancy and make sure you’ll have a healthy baby.
If you receive 400 micrograms (equivalent to 0.4 milligrams) of folic acid daily before conception, it can substantially reduce the risk of the above-mentioned birth defects in your baby.
In addition to the general effects of folic acid and pregnancy, now there are even more reasons for both women as well as MEN to take folic acid. Studies showed that folic acid is very important for fertility in men and women.
In men, the role of folic acid is in spermatogenesis (i.e. production of sperm). In women, folic acid plays a vital role in the formation of ovums (eggs), implantation of the embryo in the uterus, and the normal function of placenta. As such, it is very important for both the couple to receive sufficient folic acid through their daily diet to avoid sub-fertility (i.e. less able to conceive than a typical couple).
If you wish to learn more about folic acid and other important vitamins and supplements to help you become pregnant more quickly, the Personal Path to Pregnancy guide can make a good reference.
