Why should folic acid supplements for pregnant women? Dosage

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The article was professionally consulted with BSCK I Le Hong Lien - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology - Vinmec Central Park International General Hospital.
Folic acid is an important micronutrient that needs to be supplemented during pregnancy to prevent serious birth defects. If pregnant women do not get enough folic acid, the fetus will be at risk of neural tube defects such as split vertebrae, anencephaly or brain abnormalities. Therefore, folic acid supplementation is often recommended when women begin planning a pregnancy.

1. Overview of folic acid

Folic acid is a B vitamin, also known as vitamin B9. This is an important substance in the development and growth of every cell in the human body. During pregnancy, folic acid plays a role in the formation and development of the fetal nervous system, including the brain and spinal cord. Folic acid supplementation should be taken before pregnancy and continued in the following months of pregnancy so that the fetus can develop completely and healthy.
Folic acid has many benefits for the development of the fetus and the health of pregnant women:
Prevention of birth defects: The development of the brain and spinal cord is governed by folic acid, so Folic acid needs to be supplemented by pregnant women. Folic acid deficiency is one of the causes of the increased incidence of serious birth defects such as vertebral splits, absence of skull and brain bones. Prevention of anemia in the mother: Folic acid or vitamin B9 is an essential micronutrient for the development of cells in the body, including red blood cells in the blood. Anemia in pregnant women increases the risk of pregnancy abnormalities such as miscarriage, fetal growth retardation, premature birth,... The fetus born to an anemic mother is also at risk. anemia, a high risk of many cardiovascular diseases. Reduce the likelihood of cancer: Through many statistics, breast cancer, cervical cancer or gastrointestinal cancer have a lower occurrence rate in people who supplement enough folic acid. However, this issue is still controversial and needs more evidence to clarify.

2. How to supplement folic acid for pregnant women

Folic acid is a micronutrient that needs to be supplemented from before pregnancy and lasts throughout pregnancy with a need 4 times higher than the average person. Depending on the stage, the daily folic acid required will increase gradually at 400 micrograms from before pregnancy to the first 3 months of pregnancy and 600 micrograms in the remaining months of the 2nd and 3rd trimesters.
Folic acid is abundant in everyday foods such as animal liver, chicken, duck meat, eggs, cereals and green vegetables, fruits. Change many different foods in your daily diet to provide enough folic acid and balance other essential nutrients for the body. However, it should be noted that the processing of these foods should not be carried out for a long time to avoid reducing the available folic acid content.
In fact, the direct source of folic acid from food is easily lost during processing and not easily absorbed through the mother's intestinal tract. Therefore, to ensure sufficient demand, pregnant women need to pay attention to supplement with folic acid-containing tablets to reach the threshold of need. Oral folic acid tablets such as multivitamins can be easily purchased from drugstores in the market, but before using, pregnant women need to carefully check the folic acid content in each pill.
Women who are at high risk of having a baby with birth defects are often recommended to take a higher folic acid supplement during the first trimester of pregnancy, at about 5mg per day. Factors that increase the risk of giving birth to a baby with birth defects:
The woman herself or her husband has birth defects related to the nervous system The previous pregnancy was not healthy, the fetus was unfortunately born with anomaly. Nervous system defects In the family, there are relatives with congenital neural tube defects. Women with medical conditions that require epilepsy drugs. Women with diabetes since before pregnancy.

3. Some notes when supplementing folic acid for pregnant women

To ensure the safest and most effective folic acid supplementation for pregnant women, the following points should be noted: Folic acid supplementation is rare. The combination of folic acid tablets and folic acid-rich foods is essential to take and maintain throughout pregnancy under the guidance of your doctor. The content of folic acid supply for the body needs to be maintained at 400-800 micrograms per day. Pregnant women should not abuse folic acid with supplements. Prolonged excess of folic acid in the body is an obstacle to the absorption and metabolism of zinc and increases the risk of progressive nerve cell damage. Do not take folic acid supplements with tea, carbonated drinks, caffeine or alcohol and other alcoholic beverages. The right time to take folic acid is between meals. A common side effect of folic acid supplements for pregnant women is constipation. Therefore, it is important to drink enough water and add more fiber in the daily diet. Folic acid is an important micronutrient that needs to be supplemented before and during pregnancy to prevent serious birth defects as well as protect the health of the mother during and after delivery. Therefore, folic acid supplementation is essential.

Many women are only interested in supplementing the necessary nutrients during pregnancy without knowing that their own health before pregnancy also greatly determines the development of the fetus. In order to help women better understand the importance of taking care of their health before pregnancy, understand what supplements need to be taken before pregnancy, what medicine should be taken before pregnancy?... Vinmec has implemented a program Pre-pregnancy health and counseling program with services:
Support for you and your family when you need important information about problems related to family genetics Screening healthy carriers Preparing for assisted reproductive services Pharmaceutical use and pregnancy Vaccinations Vaccinations Oral Vitamins and Folic Acid (vitamin B9) Food use and pregnancy Prevention of exposure to harmful chemicals, hazardous physical agents Other health problems for you and your husband (wife). Vinmec's pre-pregnancy counseling and health care program is methodically and scientifically built, implemented by a team of leading nutritionists, obstetricians and gynecologists from major hospitals across the country. water, help you have complete knowledge about nutrition and health during before and after pregnancy to have the healthiest pregnancy.

Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.