Folic acid, because it is important in pregnancy

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Folic acid, why is it so important?



Now many studies have shown that folic acid (or vitamin B9) is very useful for preventing some congenital malformations of the neural tube, the most frequent of which is spina bifida, a defect due to the failure of one or more vertebrae to close, which can occur in about one in 1300 pregnancies. and can lead to irreversible damage to the lower limbs and neurological complications.

In addition, folic acid deficiency has been associated, albeit to a lesser extent, with other congenital malformations, such as heart disease, cleft lip and palate (the so-called cleft lip), urinary tract defects, and hypoagenesis of the limbs.



To say it is Cristina Dieci, president of the Spina Bifida Del Paese Onlus. We asked her the most common questions of pregnant women.

Meaning of folic acid


Folic acid or folacin or vitamin B9 or pteroyl glutamic acid or vitamin M has a name derived from the Latin folium.
It is a substance that is part of the water-soluble vitamins that plays an important role before and during pregnancy in the prevention of spina bifida in particular.

In this article

 



Folic acid is contained in which foods?

Folic acid is contained in good quantities in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, asparagus and lettuce; in the vegetable like beans and peas, in cereals, in brewer's yeast, in some fruits such as oranges, strawberries, hazelnuts; in the liver.



Proper nutrition allows you to cover the daily requirement of 0,2 mg, however, considering that the various methods of cooking and preservation cause food to lose a large part of the amount of folic acid and that during pregnancy the need doubles, it is understood that it is It is difficult to satisfy the new demands with the power supply alone and integration is required.

Here are the foods in which it is contained with milligrams of folic acid per 100 grams of food (table of the book The great book of pregnancy, Laura de Laurentiis, Rizzoli):

20 PHOTOS
Folic acid, because it is important in pregnancy

Folic acid, 18 foods that contain it

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Women of childbearing potential who are planning to become pregnant should supplement their diet with folic acid. Proper nutrition allows you to cover your needs ...

  • asparagus, 0,11 grams
  • cabbage 0,04 grams
  • beans, 0,2 grams
  • green beans, 0,05 grams
  • beet leaves, 0,02 grams
  • wheat germ, 0,5 grams
  • corn germ, 0,25 grams
  • endive, 0,03 grams
  • lettuce, 0,06 grams
  • brewer's yeast, 4
  • beef, 0,003 grams
  • nuts, 0,21 grams
  • peas 0,07 grams
  • soy, 0,2
  • orange juice 0,1
  • spinach 0,1
  • egg (one) 0,02
  • calf 0,003
  • yogurt 0,008.

In what dose should folic acid supplementation be taken?

The intended dose for healthy women is 0,4 mg of folic acid per day (400 micrograms). The gynecologist will assess whether the woman has risk factors - for example she is suffering from particular pathologies or has already had previous pregnancies with a fetus affected by neural tube malformations - and therefore the dose must be increased to 5 mg per day.

Until when is it necessary to take folic acid? Why is it important to start before pregnancy?

For effective prevention, folic acid should be taken at least one month before conception and throughout the first trimester of pregnancy. This is because the closure of the neural tube occurs within 30 days of conception, in particular between the 17th and 29th day of pregnancy, so starting to take it after that date would no longer be of any use.

It is also known that we are talking about an era in which women often do not even know that they are pregnant and that not all pregnancies are planned: this is why the ideal would be to start taking folic acid when any contraceptive method is stopped. . Without fear of overdose: at standard doses of 0,4 mg per day, folic acid could be taken for years without risk of side effects.

Read also:

Vitamins and minerals in pregnancy;

The diet of pregnancy;

the benefits of folic acid

For further information: i advice from the National Institute of Health (Iss) on folic acid

Questions and answers

What foods is folic acid contained in? 

Folic acid is contained in good quantities in green leafy vegetables, such as spinach, broccoli, asparagus and lettuce; in legumes such as beans and peas, in cereals, in brewer's yeast, in some fruits such as oranges, strawberries, hazelnuts; in the liver.

In what dose should folic acid supplementation be taken? 

The intended dose for healthy women is 0,4 mg of folic acid per day (400 micrograms).

When should folic acid be taken? 

For effective prevention, folic acid should be taken at least one month before conception and throughout the first trimester of pregnancy.

TAG:
  • folic acid pregnancy
  • folic acid
  • spina bifida
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