Folic Acid???

[Funkyemzie]

In preparation, conception and early pregnancy, what level of folic acid should I be taking? Is it 400mg? Xxx

Yes it's 400mg and you should take it from before you're pregnant as precaution.

daily

It also says on the NHS website:

The Department of Health also advises you to consider taking a vitamin D supplement (see 'Vitamin D in pregnancy' section).
Do not take vitamin A supplements, or any supplements containing vitamin A (retinol), as too much could harm your baby. Always check the label.

I used to just take a prenatal vitamin as it had everything in it including folic acid, I started taking it as soon as me and dh started trying.

Brilliant thank you! Just want to make sure ive got the right dosage. Didnt get vitamin D, will that be ok if I pick that up in the week? Xxx

You can get a prenatal vitamin with everything you need in. Asda do a great one that a little cheaper than some alternatives. Might be worth considering?

groceries.asda.com/product/womens-health-pregnancy/asda-women-pregnancy-multivitamins-omega-3-tablets-capsules/910001559437

That's the one I used to take and it's fine to take while trying to conceive as well

Good luck x

@passthestarmix thats great, I'll get myself some of those. I'm self confessing that my diet is terrible, I'm not overweight or anything I just eat little bits of rubbish often but I exercise loads! I need something to counteract the crap really and just prepare myself the best I can. Good luck to you to hun. Xxx

Funky some people are advised to take a higher dose (5mg). Worth checking with your GP in case you have any factors that make you higher risk.

You can't really overdo it with folic acid. The recommendation here in the US when I was pregnant was 800mcg (micrograms, not milligrams) but if there's no history of neural tube defects in your family you should be fine with whatever is the the prenatal vitamins available to you.

Good luck with the baby!

Your midwife will have told you if you need extra than normal folic acid so doubt you do. I would go by the NHS guidelines and the pre natal vitamin from Asda are great and have it all in so you won't need to worry about levels or anything. The extra fish Oil tablet is great too as it hasn't got vitamin a in. My DS is now 10 months old but I took the Asda ones and conceived in the first month so hopefully the same will happen for you. x

Aww thanks guys, I've just been taking the standard, no history in our family of anything like that an I'm going to be honest and say I actually didn't take anything with DD and that was 10 years ago. Stupidly we didn't find out we were pregnant until I was 11 weeks. Want to do things right this time round. Xxx

@Funkyemzie I take these, £3 each and 3 for 2 plus you can carry on taking them throughout pregnancy, they're from Superdrug

@Daisymay25 Thanks, I'm going to pop into town tomorrow at lunch so will see if they have them in. Xxx