How to supplement folic acid for pregnant women
Release time : 09/06/2025 09:30:03
Folic acid, a seemingly unappetizing substance, is known to be beneficial for the baby in the womb during pregnancy. Both couples planning to have children know that timely supplementation with folic acid is very important.
Some people prefer to take folic acid supplements, while others prefer to consume folic acid through their diet.
Not only during the conception period, but also throughout pregnancy, expectant mothers continue to pursue folic acid.
Then how should pregnant women supplement folic acid to have a healthy and intelligent baby? Experts suggest that women should pay attention to the supplementation of folic acid in their daily life, especially those preparing to become pregnant and expectant mothers, as supplementing folic acid can prevent the baby from being born with congenital defects.
How to Supplement Folic Acid During Pregnancy - An Expert Answers Your Questions.
1. It is very important for both parents to supplement folic acid for pregnant women together.
Pregnant women often overlook the possibility of pregnancy during early stages, not knowing whether they are pregnant or not. This can result in missing the optimal time to supplement folic acid.
There are some experts who suggest that women who may be pregnant or planning to have a baby should pay attention to taking folic acid every day. It is to prevent the baby from arriving unexpectedly and leaving them without enough preparation.
Not only pregnant women need to take folic acid, but also expectant fathers.
For men planning to become fathers, insufficient folate intake can reduce semen concentration and may cause chromosome separation abnormalities in sperm, greatly increasing the likelihood of future babies suffering from serious diseases.
2. It is essential to supplement with 600mg of folic acid daily. However, what is the optimal amount? The total amount of folic acid in the human body is about 5-6mg, but humans cannot synthesize folic acid themselves and must obtain it from food for digestion and absorption.
During the mother's pregnancy, the baby continues to grow and develop. The folate in the mother's blood is transferred to the fetus through the placenta, and as the placenta and uterus continue to grow, there is an increasing need for folate. If this needs are not consciously supplemented, the level of folate will decrease.
Experts believe that every pregnant woman needs to take 600-800 micrograms of folic acid daily to meet the growth needs and self-needs of the baby.
3. Calcium folate tablets contain 5-6 mg of folate, but the body cannot synthesize it; it must obtain it from food and absorb it.
Folic acid supplementation via folic acid tablets is more effective.
But expectant mothers should remember to take folic acid tablets under the guidance of a doctor and not blindly purchase them on their own.
Because folic acid intake is not necessarily better
Excessive intake of folic acid can increase the risk of progressive and unknown neurological damage
Clinical data shows that the tolerable upper limit of folic acid intake for expectant mothers is 1000 micrograms, and expectant mothers can meet their fetal growth needs and their own needs by taking 400-800 micrograms of folic acid daily.
4. Nutritional Folic Acid: Naturally, in clinical practice, many mothers have given birth to healthy babies without taking any folic acid supplements. This means that if you were pregnant without any preparation and had not taken folic acid before, as long as your health was good and your diet was balanced, it is not necessary to take folic acid supplements. All you need to do is pay more attention to your diet and cooking methods.
Folate is very abundant in many foods, but it is unstable and easily lost when exposed to light or heat. For example, the folate content of vegetables may be reduced by 50% - 70% after storage for 2-3 days.
Brothing will reduce the folic acid in food by 50 - 95%.
The folic acid in the vegetable is lost greatly when soaked with salt water, so the vegetable should be cooked by stir-frying or quick cooking to retain more folic acid.
No matter whether you are a man or a woman, regardless of whether you are married or have been in a relationship, it is essential to understand the scientific methods for supplementing folic acid. It is a responsible act towards oneself, the other person, and the baby.
Get moving, supplement your folate intake scientifically! The role of folate in pregnant women. Experts recommend that women should pay more attention to supplementing folate, especially those preparing for pregnancy and expectant mothers, as supplementing folate can prevent babies from being born with congenital defects.
The important role of folic acid includes the following aspects: women should pay attention to supplementing folic acid in their daily lives. 1. Prevention of neural tube birth defects: Folic acid is beneficial for the development of the fetal neural tube.
The CDC says that if a woman takes at least one month before pregnancy and three months after the first trimester of pregnancy, taking the recommended amount of folic acid every day can reduce the risk of neural tube defects by 50% to 70%.
2. Reducing the Risk of Pre-eclampsia for Expectant Mothers: Studies have shown that consuming multivitamins containing folic acid may reduce the risk of pre-eclampsia in expectant mothers.
Preeclampsia is a unique complication of pregnancy, characterized by hypertension during the gestational period, affecting 5%-8% of pregnant women.
Preeclampsia increases the difficulty of pregnancy, and folic acid can help reduce the risk of preeclampsia in pregnant women.
3. Reducing the Risk of Gestational Hyperlipidemia: Folic Acid is Beneficial for Pregnant Women's Health.
The Chinese Nutrition Society suggests that you begin taking it 2-3 months before pregnancy and continue until the third month of pregnancy or throughout the pregnancy, not only to prevent neural tube defects but also to reduce the risk of high blood lipids during pregnancy.
When should a pregnant woman take folic acid? It is reasonable to supplement with folic acid, not only beneficial for the development of the neural tube in the baby, but also reducing the risk of premature ovarian failure and hyperlipidemia during pregnancy.
Folic acid tablets are essential for fetal growth and development. So, when is the best time to take folic acid tablets? Research by the International Nutrition Society indicates that starting folic acid supplementation from the first three months of pregnancy is advisable.
Because women should supplement folic acid from the first three months of pregnancy to the last three months, which is when the placenta is just formed, if it is supplemented in sufficient amount, the effect of preventing neural tube defects in fetuses can be best.
If you can't determine when you will conceive a baby, women can also start taking folic acid from the planning of pregnancy. Regular consumption of folic acid supplements or tablets (generally 0.4 mg of folic acid per day) can not only play a role in preventing and promoting good health but also be beneficial for female health.
It is important to note that starting folic acid supplementation from the time of conception can have a beneficial effect on optimizing reproductive health. However, excessive intake of folic acid can also lead to side effects, with the most common being gastrointestinal symptoms such as loss of appetite, nausea, and abdominal bloating, as well as changes in urine color.
More serious is the damage to the nervous system, interfering with the anticonvulsant drugs and causing epileptic seizures in patients.
However, there are very few reported cases of adverse effects due to excessive folic acid intake in clinical practice.
Precaution: The female should take folic acid under the guidance of a doctor. Each tablet of folic acid supplements only contains 0.4 mg of folic acid, which is the only preventive drug approved by the state and its commercial name is "Silian".
During the early stages of pregnancy, it is essential for pregnant women to follow the guidance of doctors and health care personnel. It is crucial not to self-medicate or purchase medications without medical supervision, as long-term and high-dose consumption of folic acid tablets can adversely affect both the mother and the fetus.
Pregnant women are advised to take folic acid supplements until the end of pregnancy and beyond, as it is believed to have a beneficial effect on conception and birth outcomes. So, when should folic acid supplements be taken? New mothers are very concerned about this issue.
The three months before pregnancy and the first three months of pregnancy are important periods for supplementing folic acid in women's bodies, which can play a good role in preventing fetal neural tube anomalies.
Afterwards, is it that the expectant mother need not to take folic acid tablets anymore? The answer is no! Experts indicate that the supplement of folic acid should be continued throughout the pregnancy, except for the first three months when pregnant. During the middle and late stages of pregnancy, it is necessary to supplement on the doctor's guidance, because taking folic acid tablets after three months can prevent some birth defects such as congenital heart disease in newborns to a certain extent.
Of course, once in the mid-stage of pregnancy, pregnant women can stop taking folic acid tablets and should supplement it with food.
Which foods contain folic acid? Generally speaking, once folic acid supplementation is determined, two ways of intake can be adopted. One is dietary supplementation, where leafy vegetables are a good source of folic acid, and animal liver and some fruits also contain significant amounts of folic acid.
Here are some examples of foods containing folic acid for expectant mothers to reference: Aloe Vera: 85-120 micrograms per 100 grams. Aloe vera can be considered one of the highest in green vegetables, and it is recommended that fresh aloe vera be consumed as soon as possible after purchase, either by steaming, quickly stir-frying or boiling, to preserve its nutritional value.
You've taken your folic acid right? - Oats: 190 micrograms of folate per 100g. - Oats are a high-nutrient whole grain food, rich in Vitamin B groups, especially folate, which helps with fetal growth. It is generally recommended that you can soak it into porridge or mix it into rice.
Broccoli: 120 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams. Broccoli is low in calories, but contains high levels of folic acid and fiber, which can help alleviate constipation during pregnancy. It is the best choice for pregnant women to eat.
Folic acid daily intake: one small tablet, love is more. Carrot: containing 67 micrograms of folate per 100 grams, carrots are rich in beta-carotene and have antioxidant activity. Their folate content is also abundant. It is recommended to wash them first, then mash them into juice for the most direct way of consuming a large amount of folate.
How to Eat Vegetables Rich in Folic Acid for Better Nutrition? Strawberries: Containing 30 micrograms of folate per 100 grams, strawberries are not only one of the fruits with a high folate content but also have abundant vitamin C that stabilizes folate and enhances its absorption rate, offering a synergistic effect.
The medical information provided in this text is for reference only and should not be used for medical diagnosis or treatment.
If you experience discomfort, it is recommended to seek medical attention immediately. The diagnosis and treatment should be based on the professional medical assessment conducted in person.