Taking Folic acid for 6 weeks before TTC

[Whentotryconceive]

Hi All, first post. Looking for wisdom.

Thinking of TTC in January but only started taking folic acid yesterday. By Jan I would have been taking folic acid for about 6 weeks. NHS says that they recommend taking folic acid for 3 month before trying.

Would you wait the recommended 3 months?

Am I putting potential baby in harm by not waiting the full 3 months?

Would waiting 2 months before trying really make a difference?

I’m 32 and DH is 36. This will be first baby.

I did try calling the doctors today but the receptionist told me to just start TTC.

Thanks for the advice!!

*I appreciate that the likelihood of conceiving the first month is very low.

I only found out about this once I realised I was already pregnant. All ok!!!

There's no need to delay TTC.

You may be consuming adequate folate via your diet after all. Just keep taking it from now as a, precaution.

Thanks for the response and congrats on your pregnancy.

Thanks for sharing that it might already be in my diet. That’s reassuring to know.

Folic acid is water soluble so your body can't store excess, so I never really understood why you need to take it for 3 months beforehand. Presumably the recommendation is about being generally prepared and healthy before TTC or in case you conceive earlier than planned. It is often added to things like cereal I believe. I started taking it just before TTC but not 3 months before.

I started taking it when we started TTC and it was about 5 months before I got my BFP anyway. I wouldn't worry, people get pregnant accidentally all the time and they normally end up ok 😁

Thanks for the responses @BendingSpoons and @Hotmalibu94

This is both helpful and reassuring.