Taking Folic acid during AF - is there any point ??

[FudgeMuffin]

I've been ttc for a while now and been taking folic acid since the start but to save a little money I've stop taking it on CD1 and waited till AF finishes before popping pills again.

Does anyone know if this makes a difference?

I'd assumed that I only need increased folic acid if I was preg so was taking it to cover the tww. But now I've read that I should be taking it all the time. Is that true? What do the rest of you do? I'm taking Sanatogen mum-to-be which includes other vitamins but are there additional supliments that any of you would recommend?

Hi fudge I have been taking folic acid since TTC. I have not splashed out on the sanatogen with all the added vitamins.

You can buy just the folic acid tablets from Asda, £1.00 for a pot of 180.

You can get folic acid in some cereals and vegetables: Broccoli, spinach, peas, brown rice. Not sure how much of the stuff you would need to eat for the amount you get in the tablets!

Folic acid is supposed to help reduce risk of central nervous system defects in babies. Just had a look on the NHS website and they say....

' it would be almost impossible to get enough folic acid just from food; the only way to be sure you are getting the right amount is by taking a supplement.'

Good luck

NHS recommends taking folic acid for 3 months prior to conception so I take it every day throughout the cycle.

At the moment I'm taking folic acid, vitamin c and vitamin d. You can get all the vitamins pretty cheap in savers, aldi, asda, etc.

it's best to take it every day, so you know you have a good supply of folic acid from the very first day of conception. It's best to take folic acid and vitamin D. Many people are deficient in vitamin D and it is safe to take a supplement. My GP recommended taking it, also through pregnancy and breastfeeding. If you have a good diet you shouldn't need other vitamins.

Thank you all for the advice!

As Hazel said, it's recommended to take it for 3 months before ttc to build up your levels.

I was ttc for 3 years and took it throughout bar one very fucked off period between IVF rounds .

You can get folic acid by itself very cheaply.

Thanks eurochick. I did try some cheaper ones for a bit but they had less folic acid in than the others.

Is it purely to reduce the chance of problems with fetal development or does it have any impact on conception?

Yes take it every say. Going against the grain here, but I'd invest in good quality supplements. The cheaper ones are cheap for a reason. Brands like Solgar and Higher Nature are much better x