Taking folic acid tablets in pregnancy is not fattening and serves to ensure a healthy pregnancy and good development of the baby, preventing injuries in the baby's neural tube and diseases. The ideal dosage should be guided by the obstetrician and it is advised to start consumption at least 1 month before becoming pregnant.
This consumption should be started early because the neural tube, the fundamental structure for the full development of the baby's nervous system, closes in the first 4 weeks of gestation, a period where the woman may not yet have discovered she is pregnant.
What is Folic Acid in Pregnancy?
Folic acid in pregnancy serves to reduce the risk of injury to the baby's neural tube, preventing diseases such as:
- Spina bifida;
- Anencephaly;
- Cleft lip;
- Heart diseases;
- Anemia in the mother.
In addition, folic acid is also responsible for helping placental formation and DNA development, as well as decreasing the risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy. Know all the symptoms that this complication can cause in Pre-eclampsia.
Recommended doses of folic acid
Usually the recommended dose of folic acid in pregnancy is 600 mcg per day, but since many of the tablets used are 1, 2 and 5 mg, it is common for the doctor to recommend the intake of 1 mg to make it easier to take the medicine. Some of the supplements that may be recommended include Folic acid, Endofolin, Enfol, Folacin or Acfol for example.
In some special cases, such as when the woman is obese, has epilepsy or has had children with some deficiency in the nervous system, the recommended doses may be higher, reaching 5 mg per day.
The remedies are not the only source of folic acid, because this nutrient is also present in several dark green vegetables, such as cabbage, arugula or broccoli for example. In addition, some processed foods like wheat flours have been strengthened with this nutrient to prevent food shortages.
Foods rich in Folic Acid
Some foods rich in folic acid that should be consumed regularly include:
- Liver of chicken, turkey or boi stew;
- Brewer's yeast;
- Cooked black beans;
- Spinach cooked;
- Cooked pasta;
- Peas or lentils.
This type of food helps ensure sufficient amounts of folic acid for the body, and this nutrient is also very important for the baby's father, as the mother should bet on the consumption of these foods to ensure the proper development of the baby. See other foods rich in this nutrient in Foods rich in folic acid.
Also see why Use of Vitamin C and E supplements is not advised in pregnancy.
Does folic acid cause autism in the baby?
Although folic acid brings the various health and developmental benefits of the baby, and can even prevent autism, if it is consumed in excessive doses, there may be an increased chance of having autism.
This suspicion exists because it was observed that many mothers of autistic children had a high value of folic acid in the bloodstream during pregnancy. Thus, this risk does not occur if folic acid is supplemented at the recommended doses of about 600mcg per day, and care should be taken only to avoid overconsumption, and it is important that any nutritional supplementation or use of medicines in this period should be targeted by the doctor.
