These birth defects are neural tube defects or NTDs. Women need to take folic acid every day, starting before they are pregnant to help prevent NTDs. CDC and the US Public Health Service urge every woman who could become pregnant to get micrograms mcg of synthetic folic acid every day. One easy way a woman can be sure she is getting enough folic acid is to take a vitamin that has folic acid in it every day.
Most vitamins sold in the United States have the recommended daily amount of folic acid mcg that women need to prevent neural tube defects.
Vitamins can be found at most local pharmacy, grocery, or discount stores. You can get your vitamin with folic acid in one of several ways. You can take a multivitamin or a small, single supplement of folic acid. These days, multivitamins with folic acid come in chewable chocolate or fruit flavors, liquids, and large oval or smaller round pills. Many stores offer a single folic acid supplement for just pennies a day.
Another good choice is a store-brand multivitamin, which includes most of the vitamins you need each day. Unless your doctor suggests a special type, you do not need to choose among vitamins for women or active people, or one for people who are on a low carbohydrate diet.
A basic multivitamin meets the needs of most women. Another way to get folic acid is to eat enough breakfast cereal that has been enriched with folic acid every day. These birth defects of the brain and spine happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman finds out she is pregnant. All women should get in the habit of taking folic acid daily even when they are not planning to get pregnant.
For folic acid to help, a woman needs to take it every day, starting before she becomes pregnant. You might think that you can get all the folic acid and other vitamins you need from the food you eat each day. But it is hard to eat a diet that has all the nutrients you need every day.
Even with careful planning, you might not get all the vitamins you need from your diet alone. You know that you should exercise, eat right, and get enough sleep. If you do not have one, ask your pharmacist for one. Do not use a kitchen teaspoon as it will not give you the right amount.
Your dose may go up, however, if you're taking folic acid to prevent or treat anaemia and blood tests show it's not working properly. Missing 1 or 2 doses probably will not matter. But if you keep forgetting to take your folic acid, or you do not want to take it, speak to your doctor. You could also ask your pharmacist for advice on other ways to help you remember to take your medicine.
Like all medicines, folic acid can cause side effects in some people. But many people have no side effects or only minor ones. In rare cases, folic acid can cause a serious allergic reaction anaphylaxis. These are not all the side effects of folic acid. For a full list, see the leaflet inside your medicine packet. If you're pregnant or trying for a baby, it's recommended you take folic acid as soon as you start trying for a baby and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
This will help your baby grow normally. Your doctor may advise you to take a higher dose of folic acid if there's a higher risk of neural tube defects during your pregnancy. Folic acid is safe to take while you're breastfeeding. It passes into the milk, but it's not harmful to your baby.
Do not take your folic acid within 2 hours before or after taking indigestion remedies antacids containing aluminium or magnesium , as they may stop folic acid being properly absorbed.
Talk to your pharmacist or doctor before taking any herbal remedies or supplements together with folic acid. For safety, tell your doctor or pharmacist if you're taking any other medicines, including herbal medicines, vitamins or supplements.
If we do not have enough folic acid, the body can make abnormally large red blood cells that do not work properly. Folic acid will help you make healthy red blood cells and improve or prevent the symptoms of anaemia. A baby's body and most of their internal organs are formed during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Folic acid helps this happen normally. Low folate levels at this important time can increase the risk of neural tube defects and possibly other problems in the baby.
It's recommended that all pregnant women, and those trying for a baby, take a folic acid supplement until they're 12 weeks pregnant. Sometimes taking methotrexate leads to folate deficiency because it causes your body to get rid of more folate than normal. But if you're taking it for folate deficiency anaemia, it may be a few weeks before you start to feel better.
If you're taking it because you're pregnant, you probably will not feel any different, but that does not mean it's not working. In pregnancy - women are recommended to take folic acid while they're trying for a baby and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
For folate deficiency anaemia - treatment is usually for 4 months. But if the cause of your folate deficiency anaemia does not change or go away, you may have to take folic acid for longer, possibly for the rest of your life. To reduce the side effects of methotrexate - folic acid is usually taken for as long as you take methotrexate.
You may have to take it for a long time, possibly for the rest of your life. Folate is found naturally in foods and some foods are fortified with folic acid, which means the vitamin is added to it. A baby's neural tube starts developing in the first 4 weeks of pregnancy before the first missed period. In the UK and Ireland in the s, before women were advised to a take folic acid supplements, about 1 in pregnancies resulted in a baby with a neural tube defect.
If you're taking folic acid with methotrexate, talk to your doctor before taking any non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs NSAIDs such as ibuprofen or aspirin. It's best to avoid drinking alcohol with folic acid as alcohol may stop folic acid being absorbed. It's safer not to drink any alcohol if you're pregnant or trying for a baby because it can damage your baby's growth.
Folic acid does not help you get pregnant, but it's recommended while you're trying for a baby and in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. Page last reviewed: 27 March Next review due: 27 March Folic acid On this page About folic acid Key facts Who can and can't take folic acid How and when to take it Side effects How to cope with side effects Pregnancy and breastfeeding Cautions with other medicines Common questions.
About folic acid Folic acid is the man-made version of the vitamin folate also known as vitamin B9. Folate helps the body make healthy red blood cells and is found in certain foods.
Folic acid is used to: treat or prevent folate deficiency anaemia help your unborn baby's brain, skull and spinal cord develop properly to avoid development problems called neural tube defects such as spina bifida help reduce side effects from methotrexate, a medicine used to treat severe arthritis , Crohn's disease or psoriasis Folic acid is available on prescription and comes as tablets or as a liquid you swallow.
You can also buy lower dose tablets from pharmacies and supermarkets. Folic acid can also be combined with: ferrous fumarate and ferrous sulphate to treat iron deficiency anaemia other vitamins and minerals as a multivitamin and mineral supplement. You usually take folic acid once a day, but sometimes you only need to take it once a week.
Most adults and children can take folic acid. If you're pregnant or trying for a baby, it's recommended you take folic acid until you're 12 weeks pregnant. It helps your baby grow normally. You're unlikely to get side effects with folic acid, but some people feel sick, lose their appetite, get wind or feel bloated. These side effects are usually mild and do not last long. Folic acid is also called by the brand names Preconceive and Lexpex.
It's not suitable for everyone. How much will I take? How much you take depends on why you need folic acid. Before and during early pregnancy The usual dose for most women trying to get pregnant and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy is micrograms, taken once a day.
Folate deficiency anaemia To treat anaemia, the usual dose for adults and children over 1 year old is 5mg, taken once a day, for 4 months. Sometimes the dose may be increased to 15mg a day. This depends on your age, diet and any other health conditions you may have. If you're taking methotrexate The usual dose for adults and children is 5mg once a week, on a different day of the week to your methotrexate.
Some people take 1mg to 5mg once a day, apart from the day when they have their methotrexate. How to take it You can take folic acid with or without food. Swallow the tablets whole with a drink. Will my dose go up or down? Usually your dose will stay the same.
What if I forget to take it? If you stop taking your folic acid: in pregnancy - the risk of your baby having neural tube defects may increase for folate deficiency anaemia - your symptoms may get worse or new symptoms may appear to reduce the side effects of methotrexate - you'll be more likely to get side effects from methotrexate If you forget to take folic acid: once a day - take your missed dose as soon as you remember.
If it's nearly time for your next dose, skip the missed dose and just take your next dose as normal. If you remember on the day you take your methotrexate, wait a day and take your missed dose the following day. After this, go back to taking your weekly dose on your usual day. Never take 2 doses to make up for a forgotten one. If you forget doses often, it may help to set an alarm to remind you.
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