A healthy pregnancy starts before conception: FOLIC ACID

One of the specific nutritional aspects in preconception and pregnancy, of increased importance for the health of mother and fetus, is folic acid.

What is folate and what is folic acid

Folates comprise a group of substances that belong to the B vitamins. Folate is also known as vitamin B9. It is essential for many body functions. For example, the human body needs them to synthesize and repair DNA, to help rapid cell division and growth, especially during pregnancy and early childhood. Children and adults need folate to produce healthy red blood cells and to prevent anemia.

Humans cannot synthesize folate in their bodies. Therefore, folates are essential nutrients that must be supplied through diet and supplements on a regular basis to meet the body's requirements.

Natural folate or in other words the natural form of vitamin B9 is quite unstable and quite a lot of the food content is lost during cooking and food preparation. Also, only half of the natural folates consumed from food are actually absorbed and taken up by the body. 

In contrast, the synthetic form of vitamin B9, folic acid, is quite stable and almost all of it is absorbed into the body.

The amount of folate-rich foods needed per day to meet the body's requirements is high, so the World Health Organization stipulates folic acid supplementation.

The importance of folic acid in pregnancy 

Folic acid is found in supplements and in fortified foods, such as flour, cereals and bread. Folic acid is essential in pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects. Neural tube defects are serious congenital malformations that involve the non-closure or incomplete closure of the embryonic formation from which the nervous system (brain and spinal cord) will form. It is therefore necessary to consume an adequate amount of folic acid before conception in order to obtain adequate concentrations in early pregnancy.

Increased folate needs in early pregnancy are very difficult to meet with dietary intake alone, so a dietary supplement containing between 400-800 micrograms of folic acid is needed. 

In order to reduce the risk of neural tube defects, it is recommended that women consume at least 400 micrograms per day of folic acid. This should be started at least one month before conception and continued until at least 12 weeks of pregnancy to ensure optimal folic acid levels in pregnancy.

After the 12th week of pregnancy, the dose of folic acid supplementation should increase to about 800 micrograms a day.

Women with risk factors, such as women with a history of babies with neural tube defects, women with diabetes or obesity, women receiving anticonvulsant treatment, are recommended a higher dose of folic acid, 4-5 milligrams per day.

In conclusion, all women should consult their doctor and determine together with him/her the necessary dose of folic acid in pregnancy, but also in the preconception period, in order to have a healthy pregnancy. 

FOLATE FOOD SOURCES

1. FASOLE
2. MAZARE
3. LINTE
4. SPARANGHEL
5. OAU
6. SPANAC
7. SFECLA
8. BROCCOLI
9. BRUSSELS SPROUTS
10. BANANAS
11. PAPAYA
12. CITRUS - oranges, grapefruit, lemons and limes  
13. AVOCADO
14. NUTS AND SEEDS
15. WHEAT GERM
16. FORTIFIED CEREALS

Article by: Cosovanu Elena Teona

Resident Obstetrics-Gynecology