Additionally, the proportion of women who started
taking folic acid supplements after finding out they were pregnant increased from 45 % to 62 %.
The results show a connection relating to the using
of folic acid supplements by the mother while pregnant and a lower chance of childhood autism.
The strongest argument for pregnant women
needing folic acid supplements comes from the tie between adequate folate intake and reduced risk of having a baby with neural tube defects.
In the study, researchers compared children whose mothers
took folic acid supplements four weeks before... and eight weeks into their pregnancies with children whose mothers did not take the supplements.
Women that
used folic acid supplements from 4 weeks prior to conception to 8 weeks into pregnancy experienced a 40 % reduced chance of having a baby with autism.
Women who had previously had a pregnancy involving neural tube defects were more likely to take
folic acid supplements before pregnancy than women who had not, but still only half of them did (51 %) in spite of their high risk of a recurrence.
Many women are aware of this and take
folic acid supplements in their prenatal vitamins, but many are not aware that in order for folic acid to perform its crucial duties in your body, and for your fetus, it must first be activated into the biologically active form — L -5-MTHF.
She also supports the National Preconception Health and Healthcare Initiative, a new public - private campaign to promote preconception health, which she believes has the potential to drive broad system changes that will help increase awareness of and receptiveness to health information, including the USPSTF recommendation
on folic acid supplements.
In a study of overweight women with PCOS that were given myo - inositol + folic acid during IVF, 32 % of women had a successful pregnancy within the 12 month study period, compared to just 12 % of women who only took a straight
folic acid supplement without the inositol (Artini et al. 201315).
It is important that intermittent preventive treatment and insecticide - treated net use during pregnancy be increased in malaria endemic areas to protect the mother and fetus from the effects of malaria and to decrease the possible risk of adverse effects of iron if
iron folic acid supplements or multiple micronutrient supplements are provided.»
One 2009 study published in PLoS Medicine found that
folic acid supplements help reduce risk of premature birth by 50 % when taken for at least a year before conception compared with women who didn't take additional folic acid.
Neither antioxidant or
folic acid supplements seem to help with mood, but the consumption of antioxidant - rich fruits and vegetables and folate - rich beans and greens may lower the risk for depression.
Researchers from the Harvard Neuroendocrine Unit at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts investigated the frequency
of folic acid supplement use by women with epilepsy in the community and factors that may predict its use.
Joseph added that women who are likely to get pregnant should start taking
folic acid supplements before getting pregnant as they may not necessarily receive adequate folate from diet alone.
Expectant mothers should ask for consultants and advice from a medical practitioner and a doctor before taking
folic acid supplements for conceiving.
Research shows that women who take
folic acid supplements at the beginning of pregnancy just about halved the potential risk of giving birth to a baby with autism.
Whilst trying for a baby and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy, take a daily folic acid supplement
Research published today from Queen Mary University of London reveals less than 1 in 3 women have
taken folic acid supplements before pregnancy to prevent spina bifida and other birth defects of the brain, spine, or spinal cord (neural tube defects).
If you can't quit your regular afternoon tea, talk to your doctor about your iron and
folic acid supplements.
Folic acid supplements, multivitamins and prenatal vitamins usually contain the recommended minimum amount of folic acid (at least 400 micrograms).
For example, many women who take
a folic acid supplement don't realize that they need more than just folic acid, and the folic acid they're taking may not be the best form.
The usual recommendations are to take
a folic acid supplement.
When you take
a folic acid supplement, your body needs to convert this to a useable form.
If you're worried that you aren't getting enough folic acid, speak with your doctor about the benefits of
a folic acid supplement.
If you're not already taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acid, you can take
a folic acid supplement of 0.4 mg (400 mcg) a day to make sure you're getting enough of this important vitamin.
Start on
the folic acid supplements if you suspect you might be pregnant at this point as they will help protect your growing baby from spinal cord defects.
Jennifer Burns, MPH, will present results from a Barrier Analysis that revealed insights on maternal dietary practices, mothers» beliefs about anemia, and factors preventing pregnant women from taking iron -
folic acid supplements to prevent anemia.
If you are anemic during your pregnancy, you may need to start taking an iron supplement and / or
folic acid supplement in addition to your prenatal vitamins.
Combining supplements (such as taking
a folic acid supplement along with your multivitamin, etc.) can raise concerns because you run the risk of overdosing on a particular nutrient.