5mg folic acid before trying to conceive

[Bump2be]

I'm going to try to conceive and I've started taking 5mg of folic acid daily - there's a spina bifida risk on my in-laws side. I've taken them before, but we decided not to try then. Now we're starting again, I recall being told to take 5mg each day for 3 months before trying. Can't for the life of me now find anything on the NHS website, or NICE for recommendations, that mentions the 3 months before. Can anyone in a similar position advise me please? Condoms until I'm sure Thanks!

3 months is correct OP. I was advised to take the 5mg dose for that long before conceiving again due to a TFMR for spina bifida last year.

Good luck with TTC OP :-)

It's advice from RCOG.
My BMI is 30. It's coming down as on slimming world but it recommends 5mg for women with BMI over 30

Thank you - I thought so, I have a good memory, but you know when you can't find anything on it??!! I'm a cautious one so was planning to wait the full three months. I've come off the pill in the past week to give my cycles some time to settle. Fingers crossed they do. Not looking forward to the extra screening and concern but we'll sort it, that's life!

Thanks for the pointer to RCOG - just looking. I'm also trying slimming world again after a lot of success previously, but I've struggled in recent years on the pills I've taken. I'm currently just under 28 BMI but would prefer to be 26 before starting TTC - hoping coming off the pill for 3 months will help.

Indeed , it's not easy when there are potentially extra risks for a pregnancy. I'm 12 weeks now and although I feel reassured by the folic acid and the extra anomaly scan , it's very much a process with short hurdles being set by myself to keep myself and my partner sane!

I do recall my doctor saying that risks of SB are almost as minimal as a person with no SB history with the 5mg tabs though.

Also , it's always important to remember that there's more chance of things going right than wrong.

Thanks for reassuring me. I'm sorry you went through a lot last year. Good to hear it's going well this time for you. One step at a time, as you say. I'm lucky we have a mat unit in our town so I'm hoping all the visits for scans will be easy to sort out. My MIL has oculta SB, so I've always known I'd have to eat the folic acid like it's going out of fashion. DH was oblivious to it all, but he's learning what it's all aboutHoping TTC will be straight forward but I know it could take some time.

Can I ask where you get the 5mg folic acid from? From a previous pregnancy I was given 5mg due to being over weight (although the pregnancy ended too early). Is there anywhere I can get it over the counter as I currently have the 4mg from Tesco but think as I'm still over weight I should get the 5mg? I think I'm possibly pregnant but not been confirmed. Thanks x

5mg folic acid is only available on prescription. The one you buy is 400mcg (0.4mg) and what is normally recommended so a lot lower I'm strenth. You need to speak to your gp.

Thanks Emma, I thought that would be the case. Will speak to the GP but will start with the lower one that i already have until I can get the higher one. Thanks again x