Folic acid is a B vitamin, which helps the body make healthy new cells. Everyone needs folic acid, but it's especially important if you're pregnant or are thinking of becoming pregnant as it can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby's brain and spine. Learn more about the importance of getting enough folic acid before and during pregnancy.
Pregnancy and Folic Acid
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Overview
7 Week old Embryo and Nervous System over leafy vegetable
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7 Week old Embryo and Nervous System over leafy vegetable
7 Week old Embryo and Nervous System over leafy vegetable
Image by TheVisualMD
Folic Acid and Pregnancy
Folic acid is a B vitamin. It helps the body make healthy new cells. Everyone needs folic acid. For women who may get pregnant, it is really important. Getting enough folic acid before and during pregnancy can prevent major birth defects of her baby's brain or spine.
Foods with folic acid in them include
Leafy green vegetables
Fruits
Dried beans, peas, and nuts
Enriched breads, cereals and other grain products
If you don't get enough folic acid from the foods you eat, you can also take it as a dietary supplement.
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
Additional Materials (15)
What is folic acid and why do we need it?
Video by Ultrasound Ireland: Medical, Pregnancy Scans & IVF Fertility Scans/YouTube
Folic Acid in Minimizing the Risk of Spina bifida
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Folic Acid In Pregnancy
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Does folic acid help fertility?
Video by London IVF & Genetics Centre/YouTube
Fears pregnant women are overdosing on folic acid | Adelaide | 7NEWS
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The Importance of Folic Acid
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Folic Acid and You: Your Healthy Pregnancy
Video by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/YouTube
Folic Acid in the Prevention of Birth Defects
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We Were There – Folic Acid
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Birth Defects Prevention Month: Folic Acid
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Folic acid: Help prevent birth defects
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Folic acid and birth defects
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I'm not pregnant, but some days I take folic acid tablets, and some days I don't. Is that okay?
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Neural Tube Defect - Overview (signs and symptoms, pathophysiology, treatment)
Fears pregnant women are overdosing on folic acid | Adelaide | 7NEWS
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The Importance of Folic Acid
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Folic Acid and You: Your Healthy Pregnancy
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Folic Acid in the Prevention of Birth Defects
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We Were There – Folic Acid
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Birth Defects Prevention Month: Folic Acid
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Folic acid: Help prevent birth defects
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Folic acid and birth defects
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Folic Acid Basics
Nutrient Benefits
Nutrient Benefits
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Nutritional Benefits of Folic Acid and Neural Tube Development Benefits
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Nutrient Benefits
Nutrient Benefits
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Nutritional Benefits of Folic Acid and Neural Tube Development Benefits
Even if it does sound like a grade-school aphorism created to get kids to eat their vegetables, there's a great deal of truth in the age-old saying, "You are what you eat." Consuming nutrient-rich foods such as spinach may not instantly result in bulging muscles like it does for Popeye, but we are quite literally made of the foods we consume. The vitamins and minerals in food are fundamental to the development of all the body's tissues and fluids, and vital to the countless functions that keep our internal systems working.
Interactive by TheVisualMD
Folic Acid Basics
About folic acid
Folic acid is a B vitamin. Our bodies use it to make new cells. Think about the skin, hair, and nails. These – and other parts of the body – make new cells each day. Folic acid is the synthetic (that is, not generally occurring naturally) form of folate that is used in supplements and in fortified foods such as rice, pasta, bread, and some breakfast cereals.
Are folate and folic acid the same thing?
The terms “folate” and “folic acid” are often used interchangeably, even though they are different. Folate is a general term to describe many different types of vitamin B9.
5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-Methyl-THF or 5-MTHF).
Food fortification is a way to add vitamins or minerals, or both, to foods. Some rice, pasta, bread, and breakfast cereals are fortified with folic acid. These foods are labeled “enriched.” Folic acid is a specific type of folate that does not generally occur naturally.
Folic acid is ideal to use for food fortification because it is more heat-stable than types of natural food folate. Heat and light can easily break down types of natural food folate. Folic acid is better suited for food fortification because many fortified products, such as bread and pasta, are cooked.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Additional Materials (2)
What is folic acid and why do we need it?
Video by Ultrasound Ireland: Medical, Pregnancy Scans & IVF Fertility Scans/YouTube
Folic Acid And You: Your Healthy Pregnancy
Folic acid is a B vitamin. Getting 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day at least a month before becoming pregnant can help prevent serious birth defects of the brain and spine.
Document by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
If you’re trying to conceive, your doctor is probably telling you to start taking folate or folic acid. Folate is the naturally occurring, water-soluble form of vitamin B9. Its name comes from the Latin word “folium,” which means leaf because dark leafy vegetables, such as spinach and kale, are the best dietary source of folate. Folic acid, on the other hand, is the synthetic form of folate that is made in a laboratory. This form is added to foods, such as bread, flour, breakfast cereal, or used in dietary supplements.
Image by StoryMD/Unsplash
When to Start Upping Your Folic Acid Intake
Women of reproductive age need 400 mcg of folic acid every day
All women of reproductive age should get 400 mcg of folic acid every day to get enough folic acid to help prevent some birth defects because
About half of U.S. pregnancies are unplanned, and
Major birth defects of the baby’s brain or spine occur very early in pregnancy (3-4 weeks after conception), before most women know they are pregnant.
When taking folic acid, a higher dose than 400 mcg of folic acid each day is not necessarily better to prevent neural tube defects, unless a doctor recommends taking more due to other health conditions.
When planning to become pregnant, women who have already had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect should consult with their healthcare provider. CDC recommends that these women consume4,000 mcgof folic acid each day one month before becoming pregnant and through the first 3 months of pregnancy.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Additional Materials (1)
Birth Defects Prevention Month: Folic Acid
Video by March of Dimes/YouTube
0:54
Birth Defects Prevention Month: Folic Acid
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How Much Folic Acid Is Necessary
Nutrition For a New Life
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Nutrition For a New Life
Infant nutrition begins with the food a mother ingests. A healthy diet is important for expecting mothers as the fetus grows and develops. And while women are advised that they are not, in fact, “eating for two,” doctors and dietitians do encourage expectant moms to make sure their vitamin, mineral, protein, and calorie needs are being met.The importance of good nutrition for new mothers continues after the baby’s birth, as the mother’s body transforms nutrients from her diet into breast milk. Although 9 months of pregnancy can require between 80,000 and 120,000 additional calories, breastfeeding for the same amount of time can burn up twice that. According to Susan Tucker Blackburn in Maternal, Fetal, & Neonatal Physiology, “For the healthy, well-nourished lactating woman, an additional 500 [calories per day] is recommended to meet the energy requirements for milk production during the first 6 months of lactation.” The good news is that “approximately 170 kcal of the increased requirements are provided by maternal fat stores from pregnancy.”It may seem astonishing that lactation is more demanding in terms of energy than pregnancy, but whereas for much of gestation the fetus is tiny, weighing just ounces, a lactating mother can be producing more than 3 cups of milk daily to fuel the growth and development of an infant whose birth weight of 7 lbs or so can double in just 4 months.
Image by TheVisualMD
How Much Folic Acid Is Necessary
CDC recommends that women of reproductive age who could become pregnant consume at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folate every day. However, it’s difficult to get 400 mcg of folate through diet alone. You can get 400 mcg of folic acid each day by taking a vitamin with folic acid in it, eating fortified foods, or a combination of the two, in addition to consuming a balanced diet rich in natural food folate.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Additional Materials (1)
Goals for healthy pregnancy eating
Video by BabyCenter/YouTube
1:53
Goals for healthy pregnancy eating
BabyCenter/YouTube
Role of Folic Acid in Pregnancy
Pregnancy, Growth of embryo/Fetus and Importance of Folic Acid 1
Pregnancy, Growth of embryo/Fetus and Importance of Folic Acid 2
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Pregnancy, Growth of embryo/Fetus and Importance of Folic Acid 4
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Pregnancy, Growth of Embryo/Fetus and Importance of Folic Acid
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Pregnancy, Growth of embryo/Fetus and Importance of Folic Acid 1
Pregnancy, Growth of embryo/Fetus and Importance of Folic Acid 2
Pregnancy, Growth of embryo/Fetus and Importance of Folic Acid 3
Pregnancy, Growth of embryo/Fetus and Importance of Folic Acid 4
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Pregnancy, Growth of Embryo/Fetus and Importance of Folic Acid
Folic Acid is critical to the early stages and all stages of fetal development Growing fetus and the uterus is a thick-walled, elastic, muscular organ and enlarges greatly during pregnancy. Before pregnancy, the uterus is about the size of an orange. Twelve weeks into the pregnancy, the uterus is the size of a grapefruit. At 24 weeks, it's as big as a papaya, and at term it's the size of a watermelon.
Interactive by TheVisualMD
Importance of Folic Acid During Pregnancy
During early development, folic acid helps form the neural tube. Neural tube defects, which are serious birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, develop very early during pregnancy when the neural tube—which forms the early brain and the spinal cord—does not close properly.
Folic acid is very important because it can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby’s brain (anencephaly) and spine (spina bifida).
The baby’s neural tube closes during the first weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman knows that she is pregnant. If a woman consumes folic acid before and during early pregnancy, it can help increase the chance of her baby’s neural tube closing properly. Waiting until the first prenatal visit (typically, the 6th to 12th week of pregnancy) to start folic acid consumption will not prevent neural tube defects. Therefore, to help prevent neural tube defects, it is important for women to start folic acid consumption before pregnancy begins.
Source: StoryMD
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Pregnancy and Folic Acid Molecule
Pregnancy and Folic Acid Molecule
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Video by Pregnancy CaPl/YouTube
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The Neural Tube
Folate, Neural Tube Formation Connected to Placenta
Image by TheVisualMD
Folate, Neural Tube Formation Connected to Placenta
Folate (also known as vitamin B9) is necessary for red blood cell production and the prevention of anemia, as well as the synthesis and maintenance of DNA and is especially important in cell division and growth in fetal development. Deficiencies of the vitamin in pregnancy is a common cause of birth defects; defects of the neural tube, in which tissue surrounding the fetal spine or brain does not develop properly are one of the most common birth defects, occurring in about 1 in 1,000 infants.
Image by TheVisualMD
The Neural Tube
The brain is a complex organ composed of gray parts and white matter, which can be hard to distinguish. Starting from an embryologic perspective allows you to understand more easily how the parts relate to each other. The embryonic nervous system begins as a very simple structure—essentially just a straight line, which then gets increasingly complex. Looking at the development of the nervous system with a couple of early snapshots makes it easier to understand the whole complex system.
Many structures that appear to be adjacent in the adult brain are not connected, and the connections that exist may seem arbitrary. But there is an underlying order to the system that comes from how different parts develop. By following the developmental pattern, it is possible to learn what the major regions of the nervous system are.
The Neural Tube
To begin, a sperm cell and an egg cell fuse to become a fertilized egg. The fertilized egg cell, or zygote, starts dividing to generate the cells that make up an entire organism. Sixteen days after fertilization, the developing embryo’s cells belong to one of three germ layers that give rise to the different tissues in the body. The endoderm, or inner tissue, is responsible for generating the lining tissues of various spaces within the body, such as the mucosae of the digestive and respiratory systems. The mesoderm, or middle tissue, gives rise to most of the muscle and connective tissues. Finally the ectoderm, or outer tissue, develops into the integumentary system (the skin) and the nervous system. It is probably not difficult to see that the outer tissue of the embryo becomes the outer covering of the body. But how is it responsible for the nervous system?
As the embryo develops, a portion of the ectoderm differentiates into a specialized region of neuroectoderm, which is the precursor for the tissue of the nervous system. Molecular signals induce cells in this region to differentiate into the neuroepithelium, forming a neural plate. The cells then begin to change shape, causing the tissue to buckle and fold inward (image). A neural groove forms, visible as a line along the dorsal surface of the embryo. The ridge-like edge on either side of the neural groove is referred as the neural fold. As the neural folds come together and converge, the underlying structure forms into a tube just beneath the ectoderm called the neural tube. Cells from the neural folds then separate from the ectoderm to form a cluster of cells referred to as the neural crest, which runs lateral to the neural tube. The neural crest migrates away from the nascent, or embryonic, central nervous system (CNS) that will form along the neural groove and develops into several parts of the peripheral nervous system (PNS), including the enteric nervous tissue. Many tissues that are not part of the nervous system also arise from the neural crest, such as craniofacial cartilage and bone, and melanocytes.
Early Embryonic Development of Nervous System
The neuroectoderm begins to fold inward to form the neural groove. As the two sides of the neural groove converge, they form the neural tube, which lies beneath the ectoderm. The anterior end of the neural tube will develop into the brain, and the posterior portion will become the spinal cord. The neural crest develops into peripheral structures.
At this point, the early nervous system is a simple, hollow tube. It runs from the anterior end of the embryo to the posterior end. Beginning at 25 days, the anterior end develops into the brain, and the posterior portion becomes the spinal cord. This is the most basic arrangement of tissue in the nervous system, and it gives rise to the more complex structures by the fourth week of development.
Source: CNX OpenStax
Additional Materials (2)
2-Minute Neuroscience: Early Neural development
Video by Neuroscientifically Challenged/YouTube
Folate Fact Sheet for Consumers
Folate is a B-vitamin that is naturally present in many foods. Your body needs folate
to make DNA and other genetic material. Your body also needs folate for your
cells to divide. A form of folate, called folic acid, is used in fortified foods and most
dietary supplements.
Document by ods.od.nih.gov
2:00
2-Minute Neuroscience: Early Neural development
Neuroscientifically Challenged/YouTube
Folate Fact Sheet for Consumers
ods.od.nih.gov
Folic Acid Deficiency in Pregnancy
Consequences of Folic Acid Deficiency
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Consequences of Folic Acid Deficiency
Consequences of Folic Acid Deficiency - Folate (also known as vitamin B9) is necessary for red blood cell production and the prevention of anemia, as well as the synthesis and maintenance of DNA and is especially important in cell division and growth in fetal development. Deficiencies of the vitamin in pregnancy is a common cause of birth defects; defects of the neural tube, in which tissue surrounding the fetal spine or brain does not develop properly are one of the most common birth defects, occurring in about 1 in 1,000 infants.
Image by TheVisualMD
Consequences of Folic Acid Deficiency During Pregnancy
Folate (also known as vitamin B9) is necessary for the body to produce red blood cells and to prevent anemia. This vitamin is also necessary for the synthesis and maintenance of DNA and is especially important in cell division and growth in fetal development. Folic acid deficiency in pregnancy is a common cause of birth defects; defects of the neural tube, in which tissue surrounding the fetal spine or brain does not develop properly are one of the most common birth defects, occurring in about 1 in 1,000 infants.
Source: StoryMD
Additional Materials (1)
The Importance of Folic Acid
Video by CA Public Health/YouTube
1:35
The Importance of Folic Acid
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Neural Tube Defects
3D Medical Animation Spina Bifida
Image by Scientific Animations, Inc.
3D Medical Animation Spina Bifida
3D Medical Animation still shot of Spina bifida in an infant
Image by Scientific Animations, Inc.
Neural Tube Defects
Neural tube defects are birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord. They happen in the first month of pregnancy, often before a woman even knows that she is pregnant. The two most common neural tube defects are spina bifida and anencephaly. In spina bifida, the fetal spinal column doesn't close completely. There is usually nerve damage that causes at least some paralysis of the legs. In anencephaly, most of the brain and skull do not develop. Babies with anencephaly are usually either stillborn or die shortly after birth. Another type of defect, Chiari malformation, causes the brain tissue to extend into the spinal canal.
The exact causes of neural tube defects aren't known. You're at greater risk of having an infant with a neural tube defect if you
Have obesity
Have poorly controlled diabetes
Take certain antiseizure medicines
Getting enough folic acid, a type of B vitamin, before and during pregnancy prevents most neural tube defects.
Neural tube defects are usually diagnosed before the infant is born, through lab or imaging tests. There is no cure for neural tube defects. The nerve damage and loss of function that are present at birth are usually permanent. However, a variety of treatments can sometimes prevent further damage and help with complications.
Source: NIH: National Institute of Child Health and Human Development
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Neural Tube Defects - What You Need To Know
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Beyond the Data - Global Prevention of Neural Tube Defects
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Neural Tube Defects
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What Is Spina Bifida? (2 of 12)
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A herniation of the brain
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Interferon regulatory factor 6 mutations implicated in neural tube defects, including spina bifida
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Postnatal Surgery for Spina Bifida (9 of 12)
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Spina Bifida
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Prenatal Screening: Is It Right for You?
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Focus on Health: Quad Screen
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ANENCEPHALY
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Amniocentesis: Pre-Baby Care (Pregnancy Health Guru)
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Folic Acid and You: Your Healthy Pregnancy
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Neural Tube Defects - What You Need To Know
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Researchers Seek Early Signs of Neural Tube Defects
that'sGOODscience!®/YouTube
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Neural Tube Defect - Overview (signs and symptoms, pathophysiology, treatment)
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1:00:31
Global Prevention of Neural Tube Defects
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Beyond the Data - Global Prevention of Neural Tube Defects
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Neural Tube Defects
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What Is Spina Bifida? (2 of 12)
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The Story of Folic Acid Fortification
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A herniation of the brain
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Interferon regulatory factor 6 mutations implicated in neural tube defects, including spina bifida
Children's National Hospital/YouTube
2:37
Postnatal Surgery for Spina Bifida (9 of 12)
The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia/YouTube
7:24
Spina Bifida
MedicineBoys/YouTube
34:24
Prenatal Screening: Is It Right for You?
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3:08
Focus on Health: Quad Screen
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5:34
ANENCEPHALY
RADIOLOGY/YouTube
1:48
Meningocele, Myelomeningocele, and Spine Bifida Occulta
USMLE pass/YouTube
2:01
Amniocentesis: Pre-Baby Care (Pregnancy Health Guru)
Healthguru/YouTube
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Folic Acid and You: Your Healthy Pregnancy
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/YouTube
Preterm Birth and Congenital Heart Defects
Human Newborn with Visible Heart and Lung
Image by TheVisualMD
Human Newborn with Visible Heart and Lung
The lungs of an unborn child are one of the last organs to complete development. This is, in part, due to the fact that the lungs are not needed during pregnancy. The fetus exists in a fluid-filled womb and receives oxygenated blood from the mother. However, at birth, as soon as that first breath of air rushes into a baby's lungs, there is a drastic increase in the amount of blood flowing through the lungs. In the fetus, blood flows directly into the left side of the fetal heart. Yet, at birth, after the baby takes the first breath, all the blood that is pumped from the right side of the heart now must pass through the lungs to be oxygenated. After the first breath, the foramen ovale (the opening between the right and left sides of the heart) seals up and the right ventricle pumps the blood through the pulmonary artery into the lungs. The ductus arteriosis also closes, so that when the oxygenated blood returns to the left side of the heart from the lungs, the left ventricle pumps the blood through the aorta out to the rest of the body. A healthy newborn baby is rosy and pink, flushed with red oxygenated blood flowing under the skin. Deoxygenated blood flows into the right atrium, past the sealed foramen ovule, and into the right ventricle, where it is sent on its path for oxygenation. It makes its way through the pulmonary artery, and goes straight past the closed-off ductus arteriosis to pick up oxygen from the lungs. The oxygen-rich, red blood then returns to the left atrium of the heart through the pulmonary vein, which shoots it into the left ventricle to be pumped through the aorta and out to the rest of the body. The blood goes out through the arteries, moves into the capillaries, and returns to the heart through the venules and veins. It follows the path of circulation that it will travel throughout one's lifetime, until the day the body dies.
Image by TheVisualMD
Preterm Birth and Congenital Heart Defects
Taking folic acid might reduce the risk of having a premature baby or a baby with birth defects, such as certain types of heart problems. But more research is needed to understand how folic acid affects the risk of these conditions.
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
Additional Materials (1)
5 Tips for Reducing Your Risk of Preterm Birth
Video by CA Public Health/YouTube
2:13
5 Tips for Reducing Your Risk of Preterm Birth
CA Public Health/YouTube
Too Much Folic Acid
Female Taking Pill with Visible Upper Digestive Tract
Image by TheVisualMD
Female Taking Pill with Visible Upper Digestive Tract
Blood-brain barrier whose most important function is to keep unwanted substances from entering the brain. It is a layer consisting of the hundreds of small capillaries that supply blood to the brain. These blood vessels are lined with cells that \"screen\" the blood before it enters the brain to make certain that nothing harmful gets in. Antidepressants have been designed to cross this barrier.
Image by TheVisualMD
Too Much Folic Acid Can Be Harmful
Folate that is naturally present in food is not harmful. However, you should not consume folate in supplements or fortified foods in amounts above the upper limit, unless recommended by a healthcare provider.
Taking large amounts of folate supplements might hide a vitamin B12 deficiency because these supplements can correct the anemia that the vitamin B12 deficiency causes, but not the nerve damage that the vitamin B12 deficiency also causes.
High doses of folic acid might increase the risk of colorectal cancer and possibly other cancers in some people. High doses can also lead to more folic acid in the body than it can use, but whether these increased folic acid levels are harmful is not completely clear.
The daily upper limits for folate from supplements and fortified foods and beverages are listed below.
Ages
Upper Limit
Birth to 6 months
Not established
Infants 7–12 months
Not established
Children 1–3 years
300 mcg
Children 4–8 years
400 mcg
Children 9–13 years
600 mcg
Teens 14–18 years
800 mcg
Adults 19+ years
1,000 mcg
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
Additional Materials (1)
Fears pregnant women are overdosing on folic acid | Adelaide | 7NEWS
Video by 7NEWS Australia/YouTube
1:32
Fears pregnant women are overdosing on folic acid | Adelaide | 7NEWS
7NEWS Australia/YouTube
Folic Acid & Drug Interactions
Drugs and Folic Acid
Image by Bruno /Germany
Drugs and Folic Acid
Drugs and Folic Acid
Image by Bruno /Germany
Folic Acid and Drug Interactions
Folate supplements can interact with several medications. Here are some examples:
Folate supplements could interfere with methotrexate (Rheumatrex®, Trexall®) when taken to treat cancer.
Taking anti-epileptic or anti-seizure medications, such as phenytoin (Dilantin®), carbamazepine (Carbatrol®, Tegretol®, Equetro®, Epitol®) and valproate (Depacon®), could reduce blood levels of folate. Also, taking folate supplements could reduce blood levels of these medications.
Taking sulfasalazine (Azulfidine®) for ulcerative colitis could reduce the body’s ability to absorb folate and cause folate deficiency.
Tell your doctor, pharmacist, and other healthcare providers about any dietary supplements and medicines you take. They can tell you if those dietary supplements might interact or interfere with your prescription or over-the-counter medicines or if the medicines might interfere with how your body absorbs, uses, or breaks down nutrients.
Source: NIH Office of Dietary Supplements (ODS)
Additional Materials (1)
Avoiding Drug Interactions (Consumer Update)
Video by U.S. Food and Drug Administration/YouTube
2:19
Avoiding Drug Interactions (Consumer Update)
U.S. Food and Drug Administration/YouTube
Get Enough Folic Acid
Proper Nutrition and the benefits to the cardiovascular system
Image by TheVisualMD
Proper Nutrition and the benefits to the cardiovascular system
Proper Nutrition and the benefits to the cardiovascular system
Image by TheVisualMD
How to Get Enough Folic Acid
Be sure to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day.
Folic acidis important because it can help prevent somemajor birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine. If you plan to or could become pregnant, you should consume 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day to ensure your baby’s proper development and growth. In addition to eating foods with folate from a varied diet, you can get folic acid from
Taking a vitamin that has folic acid in it;
Most vitamins sold in the United States have the recommended daily amount of folic acid (400 mcg) that you need.
Vitamins can be found at most local pharmacy, grocery, or discount stores. Check the label on the bottle to be sure it contains 100% of the daily value of folic acid, which is 400 mcg.
Eating fortified foods;
You can find folic acid in some breads, breakfast cereals, and corn masa flour.
Be sure to check the nutrient facts label and look for a product that has “100%” next to folate.
Getting a combination of the two: taking a vitamin that has folic acid in it and eating fortified foods.
Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)
Additional Materials (1)
Folic Acid and You: Your Healthy Pregnancy
Video by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/YouTube
0:49
Folic Acid and You: Your Healthy Pregnancy
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/YouTube
Folic Acid Supplements
Trace Elements
Trace Elements
b - complex vitamins and trace elements
Folic Acid Supplements
If you take a vitamin, make it easy to remember.
Take it at the same time every day. For example, take it when you brush your teeth in the morning or when you eat breakfast.
Leave the vitamin bottle somewhere you will notice it every day, like on the kitchen counter.
What about cost?
The Affordable Care Act, the health care reform law passed in 2010, requires most health plans to cover folic acid supplements (pills). Depending on your insurance, you may be able to get folic acid supplements at no cost to you.
Talk to your insurance company to find out what’s included in your plan.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Folic-Acid Fortified Foods
Adding Nutrients to Nature
Image by TheVisualMD
Adding Nutrients to Nature
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Folic-Acid Fortified Foods
It’s easy to get the folic acid you need. Just eat a bowl of cereal with 100% DV of folic acid – or take a vitamin with 100% DV of folic acid – every day.
Check the label.
When you are at the grocery store, look for foods with folic acid in them. Choose cereal that has 100% DV of folic acid.
Folic acid is also in foods like enriched breads, pastas, and other foods made with grains. Check the Nutrition Facts label.
If you buy vitamins, be sure to check the label for folic acid. This label shows a vitamin with 100% DV of folic acid.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Additional Materials (1)
The Story of Folic Acid Fortification
Video by Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/YouTube
6:41
The Story of Folic Acid Fortification
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)/YouTube
Natural Sources of Folic Acid
Planetary plants
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Planetary plants
Hands Gardening, with Vasculature visible
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Natural Sources of Folic Acid
Many healthy foods also have folate (a type of folic acid that is found naturally in some foods).
In addition to eating cereal with 100% DV of folic acid or taking a vitamin with 100% DV of folic acid, it’s important for women to eat foods with folate, such as:
Spinach and other leafy greens
Asparagus
Oranges and orange juice
Beans and peas
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Additional Materials (1)
Folic Acid foods – Top 10 Foods High in Folic Acid
Video by Alma Radid/YouTube
3:42
Folic Acid foods – Top 10 Foods High in Folic Acid
Alma Radid/YouTube
Healthy Eating Tips
Birthday, Maternity & Expectations
Image by Mohd Fazlin Mohd Effendy Ooi
Birthday, Maternity & Expectations
Birthday, Maternity & Expectations
Image by Mohd Fazlin Mohd Effendy Ooi
Eat Healthy During Pregnancy: Quick Tips
When you are pregnant, you need more of certain nutrients like protein, iron, folic acid, and iodine. It’s also important to get enough calcium.
Making smart food choices can help you have a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby. Here are some ideas to help you eat healthy during pregnancy.
Follow a healthy eating pattern.
Eating healthy means following a healthy eating pattern that includes a variety of nutritious foods and drinks.
Eat a variety of vegetables, fruits, whole grains, fat-free or low-fat dairy products, and protein foods.
Choose foods and drinks with less added sugars, saturated fats, and sodium (salt).
Limit refined grains and starches, which are in foods like cookies, white bread, and some snack foods.
If you are feeling sick, try eating a piece of whole-grain toast or whole-grain crackers.
Get the right amount of calories for you.
Being pregnant doesn't mean you need to eat twice as much food.
First trimester (first 12 weeks) – Most women don’t need any extra calories.
Second trimester (13 to 26 weeks) – Most women need about 340 extra calories a day.
Last trimester (after 26 weeks) – Most women need about 450 extra calories a day.
Ask your doctor or midwife about the right amount of calories for you during pregnancy.
Make healthy snack choices.
Examples of healthy snacks include:
Low-fat or fat-free yogurt with fruit (look for options with no added sugar)
Whole-grain crackers with fat-free or low-fat cheese
Carrots with hummus
Take a prenatal vitamin with folic acid, iron, and iodine every day.
Folic acid helps prevent some birth defects of the brain and spine.
Iron and iodine help keep you and your baby healthy.
Talk with your doctor or nurse about a prenatal vitamin that’s right for you.
Eat 8 to 12 ounces of seafood each week.
Fish and shellfish have healthy fats that are good for you and your baby. But some fish is high in mercury, a metal that can hurt your baby’s development. It’s a good idea to eat seafood that is high in healthy fats but lower in mercury.
Best choices
These choices are lower in mercury, so you can eat 8 to 12 ounces a week.
Canned light tuna
Catfish
Cod
Herring
Oysters
Salmon
Shad
Shrimp
Tilapia
Trout
Good choices
You can eat 4 ounces of these fish a week if you don’t eat any other seafood that week.
Canned or fresh white (albacore) tuna
Chilean sea bass or striped bass
Grouper
Halibut
Mahi-mahi
Snapper
Yellowfin tuna
Fish to avoid
Don’t eat bigeye tuna, king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, or tilefish. They are high in mercury.
Don’t eat certain foods.
These foods may have bacteria in them that can hurt your baby. Stay away from:
Raw (uncooked) or rare (undercooked) fish or shellfish, like sushi or oysters
Soft cheeses (like feta, Brie, and goat cheese), unless they are pasteurized
Raw or rare (undercooked) meats, poultry, or eggs
Unpasteurized juices or milk
Lunch or deli meats, smoked seafood, and hot dogs – unless they are heated until steaming hot
Prepared salads like ham salad, chicken salad, or seafood salad
Raw sprouts, including alfalfa, clover, radish, and mung bean sprouts
Limit drinks with caffeine and added sugars.
If you drink coffee or tea, choose decaf. Pick unsweetened options and don’t add sugar.
Drink water or seltzer instead of drinks with added sugars like soda, fruit drinks, and energy or sports drinks.
Don’t drink alcohol.
No amount of alcohol is safe during pregnancy.
Source: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
Additional Materials (2)
Nutrition Tips: Pregnancy and Nutrition
Video by Loyola Medicine/YouTube
Nutrition During Pregnancy
Video by Stanford Center for Health Education/YouTube
2:30
Nutrition Tips: Pregnancy and Nutrition
Loyola Medicine/YouTube
4:21
Nutrition During Pregnancy
Stanford Center for Health Education/YouTube
Healthy Eating FAQ
Nourishing Baby in the Womb
Image by TheVisualMD
Nourishing Baby in the Womb
Image by TheVisualMD
Health Tips for Pregnant Women: Healthy Eating
How much should I eat?
Eating healthy foods and the right amount of calories helps you and your baby gain the proper amount of weight.
How much food you need depends on things like your weight before pregnancy, your age, and how fast you gain weight. If you’re at a healthy weight, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says you need no extra calories in your first trimester, about 340 extra calories a day in your second trimester, and about 450 extra calories a day in your third trimester. You also may not need extra calories during the final weeks of pregnancy.
Check with your doctor about this. If you are not gaining the right amount of weight, your doctor may advise you to eat more calories. If you are gaining too much weight, you may need to cut down on calories. Each woman's needs are different. Your needs depend on if you were underweight, overweight, or obese before you became pregnant, or if you are having more than one baby.
What kinds of foods and beverages should I consume?
A healthy eating plan for pregnancy includes nutrient-rich foods and beverages. The 2015–2020 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend these foods and beverages each day
fruits and vegetables (provide vitamins and fiber)
whole grains, such as oatmeal, whole-grain bread, and brown rice (provide fiber, B vitamins, and other needed nutrients)
fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products or nondairy soy, almond, rice, or other drinks with added calcium and vitamin D
protein from healthy sources, such as beans and peas, eggs, lean meats, seafood that is low in mercury (up to 12 ounces per week), and unsalted nuts and seeds, if you can tolerate them and aren’t allergic to them.
A healthy eating plan also limits salt, solid fats (like butter, lard, and shortening), and sugar-sweetened drinks and foods.
Does your eating plan measure up? How can you improve your eating habits? Try eating fruit like berries or a banana with low-fat yogurt for breakfast, a salad with beans for lunch, and a lean chicken breast and steamed veggies for dinner. Think about things you can try. Write down your ideas in the space below and share them with your doctor.
What if I’m a vegetarian?
A vegetarian eating plan during pregnancy can be healthy. Consider the quality of your eating plan and talk to your health care professional to make sure you’re getting enough calcium, iron, protein, vitamin B12, vitamin D, and other needed nutrients. Your health care professional may also tell you to take vitamins and minerals that will help you meet your needs.
Do I have any special nutrition needs now that I am pregnant?
Yes. During pregnancy, you need more vitamins and minerals such as folate, iron, and calcium.
Getting the appropriate amount of folate is very important. Folate, a B vitamin also known as folic acid, may help prevent birth defects. Before pregnancy, you need 400 mcg per day from supplements or fortified foods, in addition to the folate you get naturally from foods and beverages. During pregnancy, you need 600 mcg. While breastfeeding, you need 500 mcg of folate per day. Foods high in folate include orange juice, strawberries, spinach, broccoli, beans, fortified breads, and fortified low-sugar breakfast cereals. These foods may even provide 100% of the daily value of folic acid per serving.
Most health care professionals tell women who are pregnant to take a prenatal vitamin every day and consume healthy foods, snacks, and beverages. Ask your doctor about what you should take.
What other new habits may help my weight gain?
Pregnancy can create some new food, beverage, and eating concerns. Meet the needs of your body and be more comfortable with these tips. Check with your health care professional with any concerns.
Eat breakfast every day. If you feel sick to your stomach in the morning, try dry whole-wheat toast or whole-grain crackers when you first wake up. Eat them even before you get out of bed. Eat the rest of your breakfast (fruit, oatmeal, hot or cold cereal, or other foods) later in the morning.
Eat high-fiber foods. Eating high-fiber foods, drinking water, and getting daily physical activity may help prevent constipation. Try to eat whole-grain cereals, brown rice, vegetables, fruits, and beans.
If you have heartburn, eat small meals spread throughout the day. Try to eat slowly and avoid spicy and fatty foods (such as hot peppers or fried chicken). Have drinks between meals instead of with meals. Don’t lie down soon after eating.
High-fiber foods like beans help prevent constipation during pregnancy.
What foods and drinks should I avoid?
Certain foods and drinks can harm your baby if you have them while you’re pregnant. Here’s a list of items you should avoid.
Alcohol. Do not drink alcohol, such as wine, beer, or hard liquor.
Caffeine. Enjoy decaf coffee or tea, drinks not sweetened with sugar, or water with a dash of juice. Avoid diet drinks, and limit drinks with caffeine to less than 200 mg per day—the amount in about 12 ounces of coffee.
Fish that may have high levels of mercury (a substance that can build up in fish and harm an unborn baby). Limit white (albacore) tuna to 6 ounces per week. Do not eat king mackerel, marlin, orange roughy, shark, swordfish, or tilefish. To get the helpful nutrients in fish and shellfish, you may eat up to 12 ounces of seafood per week, choosing from many safe seafood choices, such as cod, salmon, and shrimp.
Foods that may cause illness in you or your baby (from viruses, parasites, or bacteria such as Listeria or E. coli). Avoid soft cheeses made from unpasteurized or raw milk; raw cookie dough; undercooked meats, eggs, and seafood; and deli salads. Take care in choosing and preparing lunch meats, egg dishes, and meat spreads.
Anything that is not food. Some pregnant women may crave something that is not food, such as laundry starch, clay, ashes, or paint chips. This may mean that you’re not getting the right amount of a nutrient. Talk to your health care professional if you crave something that isn’t food. He or she can help you get the right amount of nutrients.
Source: National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK)
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Folic Acid and Pregnancy
Folic acid is a B vitamin, which helps the body make healthy new cells. Everyone needs folic acid, but it's especially important if you're pregnant or are thinking of becoming pregnant as it can help prevent some major birth defects of the baby's brain and spine. Learn more about the importance of getting enough folic acid before and during pregnancy.