Folic acid...

[bingeddybongo]

Hello... I'm brand new to this (as in, I literally just got back from my "I want to start attempting to get pregnant now" appointment at the gynae) so apologies if my query is a bit silly compared to all the advanced things you're all talking about :)

My gynae recommended me a brand of 400g folic acid tablets (that also have iodine in) for three months before trying to get pregnant but when I got to the chemist, the brand was actually 800g for before pregnancy ...and 400g should there be success. I ended up getting the 800g pills because the chemist was totally convincing (and I'm not in the UK so was trying to speak a foreign language... which never helps!!) I have done a bit of googling now I'm home and there seem to be all kinds of different recommendations for folic acid intake... so before I pop my first one, I just thought I'd check in and ask what other people are taking?!

[Gardenpixie]

Hi, I was told 400 micrograms by both of the consultants I've seen ... I think it's water soluble though so you shouldn't worry about taking 800 micrograms; maybe just buy the smaller dose when you run out?

Wishing you lots of TTC luck once you're ready to start

[MissTinaTeaspoon]

In the UK the recommended dose is 400mcg, but higher doses are safe because people at risk of having a baby with spina bifida are advised to take a much higher dose, I would carry on with what you've got and just change to the lower dose when you run out as the previous poster said.

[bingeddybongo]

Thank you both for your advice (and wishing of luck!), much appreciated. I considered just halving the pills until I saw how tiny they were; and read the leaflet that came with the pills (thankfully also in English) which didn't say I'd grow an extra head or anything but just wanted to check with real live people :) Thank you!

[Gardenpixie]

You're welcome! Also, I just found this:

"The risk of toxicity from folic acid is low, because folate is a water-soluble vitamin and is regularly removed from the body through urine.[117] The Institute of Medicine has established a tolerable upper intake level (UL) for folate of 1 mg for adult men and women, and a UL of 800 µg for pregnant and lactating (breast-feeding) women"

It's from wikipedia so must be true

[bingeddybongo]

Hahaha I love Wikipedia :) I drink gallons of water anyway so I guess I'll just, er, remove it that way. I'm totally confused about why the gynae would recommend something that's 800 when she'd told me to take 400... oh well - only another 119 pills to go!