Folic Acid and Pregnancy

Having a healthy baby means making sure you're pregnancy.

What Is Folic Acid?

Folic acid, sometimes called folate, is a B vitamin (B9) found mostly in leafy green vegetables like kale and spinach, orange juice, and enriched grains. Repeated studies have shown that women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) daily prior to conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect (a birth defect involving incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) by up to 70%.

The most common neural tube defects are DNA. As a result, folic acid plays a large role in cell growth and development, as well as tissue formation.

Getting Enough Folic Acid

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends that all women of childbearing age - and especially those who are planning a pregnancy - consume about 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) of folic acid every day. Adequate folic acid intake is very important 1 month before conception and at least 3 months afterward to potentially reduce the risk of having a fetus with a neural tube defect.

So, how can you make sure you're getting enough folic acid? In 1998, the Food and Drug Administration mandated that folic acid be added to enriched grain products - so you can boost your intake by looking for breakfast cereals, breads, pastas, and rice containing 100% of the recommended daily folic acid allowance. But for most women, Serdar Ural, MD
Date reviewed: October 2004