How Much Folic Acid Does A Pregnant Woman Need ?

Adequate folate intake before conception and during pregnancy helps protect against a number of congenital defects including neural tube defects. Neural tube defects (NTDs) result in malformations of the spine, skull, and brain.

Women who could become pregnant are advised to eat foods fortified with folic acid or take supplements in addition to eating folate-rich foods to reduce the risk of some serious birth defects.

In 1992, the U. S. Public Health Service (USPHS) published the recommendation that all women of childbearing age consume 0.4 mg (400 micrograms) of folic acid daily to prevent the common and serious birth defects. All women between 15 and 45 years of age should consume 0.4 mg of folic acid per day because half of U.S. pregnancies are unplanned and because these birth defects occur very early in pregnancy (3-4 weeks after conception), before most women know they are pregnant.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 50-70 percent of these birth defects could be prevented if this recommendation were followed before and during early pregnancy.

All women who have already had an NTD-affected pregnancy should consume 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid every day when not planning to become pregnant. When they start planning for a baby, the guideline called for consumption of 4 milligrams (4000 micrograms) of folic acid daily beginning one month before they start trying to get pregnant and continuing through the first three months of pregnancy.

        This recommendation is based on data from the most rigorous scientific study involving women who had previous pregnancies affected by NTDs.

More Articles :

• Antibody And Folic Acid Receptor
• Folic Acid And Other Supplements For A Healthy Heart
• Folic Acid Receptors And Lung Cancer
• Food Rich In Folic Acids
• How Much Folic Acid Does A Pregnant Woman Need
• Is High Potency Of Folic Acid Safe
• When Is Folic Acid Important