Pregnancy and Folic Acid – Preconception Folic Acid Is Essential
You’ve probably heard a lot about the relationship between folic acid and pregnancy, how important it is for a pregnant woman to consume sufficient amount of folic acid every day. Actually, even when you are trying to conceive, one of the first things your doctor will tell you is that you should start taking folic acid.
Folic acid, or often called folate, is a B vitamin that is 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. Therefore it is important to take folic acid that meets your daily intake requirement, both before and during pregnancy, in order to prevent severe birth defects in your newborn.
One of the most common birth defects is malformation of the spine – spina bifida. In this condition, the spinal cord and column are not properly closed up. Taking folic acid supplement can significantly minimize the risk of spina bifida.
Other type of birth defects, such as anencephaly, which is a serious underdevelopment of the brain, and encephalocele, which is when brain tissue abnormally protrudes through an opening in the skin, can also be prevented through sufficient intake of folic acid.
All the abnormalities described above usually occur in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, during which women usually are not aware that they’ve conceived. That’s why taking folic acid even before you get pregnant is of paramount importance.
However, it’s unlikely to obtain adequate folic acid from the food you eat daily, therefore it’s recommended that you start to take a good preconception multivitamin that contains folic acid or additional folic acid supplement, once you plan to get pregnant. This helps to ensure the health of your baby and to support a better pregnancy.
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 newborn.
Besides the general benefits of folic acid for pregnancy, there are now even more reasons to take folic acid, including men. Studies showed that folic acid is very important for fertility in men and women.
In men, folic acid is required for spermatogenesis (i.e. sperm production). In women, folic acid is important for normal egg production, embryo implantation and placenta formation and function. Therefore, both you and your partner should take sufficient folic acid everyday to keep your fertility level up.e. less fertile 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.