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How Much Folic Acid for Pregnancy
Folic acid is an important nutrient for pregnant women. It helps to prevent birth defects of the brain and spine. All women of childbearing age should take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day. Pregnant women need more folic acid. They should take 600 mcg each day.

What is folic acid?
Folic acid is a nutrient found in leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, and fortified foods. It is also available as a supplement. Folic acid is important because it helps the baby's neural tube close properly.

The neural tube is the structure that becomes the baby's brain and spinal cord. Folic acid works best if it is taken before pregnancy and during early pregnancy. That's why all women of childbearing age should take 400 mcg of folate (a form of folic acid) every day.

If you are planning to get pregnant, you should start taking 400 mcg of folate every day at least one month before you become pregnant. gofolic.org will help reduce the risk of birth defects.

Why is folic acid important for pregnant women?
Folic acid helps to prevent birth defects called neural tube defects (NTDs). These defects happen when the neural tube doesn't close properly. The most common NTD is spina bifida. This defect happens when the bones of the spine don't form properly around the spinal cord.

NTDs happen very early in pregnancy, often before a woman even knows she's pregnant. That's why it's important for all women who could become pregnant to take 400 mcg of folate every day, even if they're not planning a pregnancy.

How much folic acid do pregnant women need?
Pregnant women need 600 mcg of folate (a form of folic acid) each day. This is twice the amount that non-pregnant women need. You can get 400 mcg of folate from fortified foods or supplements, and 200 mcg from natural sources such as leafy green vegetables and legumes.

Foods that contain folic acid:
Many foods are fortified with folic acid, including cereal, bread, pasta, rice, and some breakfast bars and drinks. Check the nutrition label to see how much folic acid is in a food product. Natural sources of folate include leafy green vegetables, legumes, nuts, and seeds.

Folic acid supplements:
You can also get folic acid from supplements. Folic acid supplements are available without a prescription. You can find them in most pharmacies and grocery stores. Look for a supplement that contains 100% of the Daily Value (DV) for folate, which is 400 micrograms (mcg). You can take one pill daily or split it into two doses by taking one pill in the morning and one at night.

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Homepage: https://gofolic.org/when-to-take-a-pregnancy-test-after-sex/