Folic acid is one of the most important nutrients that a pregnant woman needs due to its multiple and important health benefits. Pregnant health and many other information.

Benefits of folic acid for pregnant women

Folic acid is a type of vitamin B that is found in many fortified foods and supplements. The body uses folic acid to make new cells and produce DNA. It is also a necessary and required element for normal growth and development over the course of life.

Taking folic acid before and during pregnancy is important and vital. The benefits of folic acid for pregnant women or folic acid for pregnant women include:

• Promote the growth and development of the fetus.
• Prevention of fetal birth defects, including serious neural tube problems that result in multiple surgeries, paralysis and long-term disability, such as:
• Reducing the risk of congenital defects in the fetus’s heart that affect the inner walls of the heart, heart valves, arteries and veins.
• Some studies have also found that taking folic acid during the first months of pregnancy can help prevent cleft palate and cleft palate.
• The use of folic acid during pregnancy can protect or reduce the incidence of:
  • Premature birth.
  • Low birth weight.
  • Eclampsia.
  • Abortion.

Folic acid for pregnant how many grams?

The recommended dose of folic acid for a pregnant woman or for a woman of gestational age in general includes 400 micrograms, and here is the recommended amount of folic acid for a pregnant woman during pregnancy:

• When trying to get pregnant: 400 mcg.
• The first 3 months of pregnancy: 400 mcg.
• From the fourth month to the ninth month: 600 mcg.
• While breastfeeding: 500 mcg.

Is it possible to get folic acid only from foods?

There is no guarantee or confirmation that a pregnant woman can obtain what she needs from folic acid only from foods. Despite this, it must be remembered that folic acid is naturally present in many foods, including:

• green leaves;
• beets;
• broccoli
• Fortified foods such as breakfast cereals.
• the rice.
• Orange juice.

To make sure that a pregnant woman is getting enough folic acid, doctors usually recommend taking folic acid in the form of a supplement or prenatal vitamin that contains folic acid.

Folic acid for pregnant women 5 mg

In the event of an increased risk of or affected pregnancy with neural tube defects, the doctor recommends taking a higher dose of folic acid, which is usually 5 mg, and it is recommended to take this dose every day until the 12th week of pregnancy. The chances of pregnancy affected by these defects increase in the following cases:

• If both the mother and the father have a neural tube defect or have a family history of these problems.
• In the event of a previous pregnancy affected by neural tube defects.
• In the case of diabetes.
• If you are taking anti-epileptic drugs.
• In the case of taking antiviral drugs to deal with HIV.

When to take folic acid for pregnant women

Birth defects can occur during the first 3 or 4 weeks of pregnancy, so it is important to introduce folic acid to a pregnant woman in the early stages of fetal brain and spinal cord development.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) advises that you take folic acid every day for at least a month before conception, and every day after conception. It also advises that all women of pregnancy should take folic acid, so it can also be started before the aforementioned period.

Is it necessary to use folic acid for pregnant women?

If you don’t get enough folic acid or don’t use it before and during pregnancy, the fetus will have an increased chance of developing neural tube defects such as spina bifida and anencephaly, which are serious defects that affect the spinal cord and brain and can cause death.

Folic acid side effects for pregnant women

Taking folic acid in the recommended quantities and according to the doctor’s instructions is safe and does not cause any concern, and in many cases and in the case of taking a large amount of folic acid, the body gets rid of the excess through urine, but in some other cases some may suffer from some effects Minor side effects from taking folic acid supplements, such as:

• Bad taste in the mouth.
• nausea;
• Anorexia.
• confusion.
• nervousness;
• disturbed sleep regime;
• Allergic signs such as rash, itching, redness of the skin and difficulty breathing.