- Folic Acid is a preventative measure which may protect your unborn child against neural tube defects
FOLIC ACID
Folic Acid is of particular importance while trying to conceive. It is recommended that women who are planning to become pregnant take 400mcg Folic Acid supplements daily. Supplements should be taken before a woman falls pregnant to reduce the risk of neural tube defects such as spina bifida in newborns.
It's a good idea to increase consumption of foods rich in Folic Acid such as fortified breakfast cereal and dark green leafy vegetables e.g. broccoli and spinach (look out for symbols showing added folic acid in foods).
Those with epilepsy, diabetes or who already have a child with a Neural Tube Defect (NTD) may need a larger dose of Folic Acid, so should consult their GP for further advice.
Even if you didn't take Folic Acid before conceiving, it's worth starting as soon as you find out that you are pregnant and can do so up until 12 weeks of pregnancy. The simplest way to make sure you get enough Folic Acid to benefit your baby is to take a Folic Acid supplement every day. Supplements are easy to find in pharmacies, health food shops and most supermarkets.
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