How to Supply Folic Acid before Pregnancy Correctly

Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin which is the necessary factor in the synthesis of protein and nucleic acid. Folic acid has an indispensable role in the rapid proliferation of hemoglobin, red blood cells and white blood cells, as well as in the metabolism of amino acid or the brain long-chain fatty acids such as DNA.

6 must known things to supply folic acid before pregnancy correctly:

1.   The key period of folic acid supplementation

In fetal period, the brain growth is the earliest and most rapidly; First trimester (3 to 6 weeks) is the critical period of growth and development of fetal central nervous system. The original brain vesicle is formed by the embryo in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy, Although in the first 8 weeks, the fetus is only three centimeters in length, weight increase only more than 2 grams, in this time his brain cells grows rapidly, which is most vulnerable to teratogenic factor. The supplementation of folic acid during this critical period, will reduce the risk of fetal risk neural tube by 50% ~ 70%.

2.   Dad and Mum must supply together

Pregnant women early in pregnancy are sometimes careless and uncertain she was pregnant which may miss the best time to add folic acid. Some experts suggest that the to-be-pregnant should pay attention to a daily folic acid supplements to prevent the deficiency of folic acid while she was pregnant. In addition, for the men who want to be a father, lack of folic acid will reduce the concentration of sperm, but also may cause sperm abnormalities in chromosome segregation, the future of the baby will bring the strong possibility of suffering from serious diseases which may add the possibility of serious illness of their baby. So dad and mums must supply together.

3.   Supply 600mg per day

The total amount of folic acid in the human body is about 5 ~ 6 mg, but the human body can not synthesize folic acid intake from food to be digested and absorbed.

The baby grows slowly in her (his) mother’s body, and the folic acid of mother’s transport to her (his) through the placenta. The growth of placenta and the uterus causes the increasing demand for folic acid, if they can not be consciously supplied, folic acid will reduce to a lower level.

Experts believe that pregnant mothers must take a daily supplement of 600 to 800 micrograms of folic acid in order to meet the growth needs of babies and their own needs.

4.   Note folic acid supplement

The food containing folic acid is many, but the folic acid is unstable and easily loses their activity when exposed to heat and light. Therefore, the body of folic acid from food was not much. For example, the folic acid in vegetable will loss by 50% ~ 70% if stored 2~3 days, cooking soup can also cause loss by 50% ~ 95%.

Therefore, pregnant mothers must change some of the cooking habits to minimize the loss of folic acid, but also to enhance intake of folate-rich foods, if necessary, add folic acid preparations or folic acid tablets.

5.   Find food containing folic acid

• Green vegetable: lettuce, spinach, tomatoes, carrots, green vegetables, asparagus, broccoli, rape, cabbage, lentils, beans, mushrooms
  
• Fresh fruit: oranges, strawberries, cherries, bananas, lemon, peach, plum, apricot, red bayberry, Begonia, wild jujube, hawthorn, pomegranate, grapes, kiwi, strawberry, pear, walnuts
• Animal meet food: liver, kidney, poultry meat and eggs, such as the liver, chicken, beef, mutton
• Legumes or nuts food: soybeans, soy products, walnuts, cashews, chestnuts, almonds, pine nuts
• Grain: rice bran, wheat germ, brown rice

6.   Folic acid supplement can not be excessive

• Long-term supplement folic acid can interfere with the zinc metabolism pregnant mother, if less zinc is taken, it will affect fetal growth.
• Pregnant mother preferably take folic acid preparations under the guidance of a doctor.If woman has ever had neural tube birth defects in babies, when pregnant again, they had better go to the hospital for examination during pregnancy. Increase intake of folic acid daily until 12 weeks after pregnancy under the doctor's advice.
• Pre-pregnancy long-term use of contraceptives, anticonvulsive drugs, may interfere with the metabolism of folic acid and other vitamins. Women planning a pregnancy had better stop the intake of these drugs in the 6 months before pregnancy, and add folic acid and other vitamins accordingly.