Folic Acid - did you take yours religously and, if so, for how long?

[Janus]

I'm terribly embarrassed to say that I've been really slack this time in taking my folic acid, I just seem to forget day after day and have taken the odd one here and there. Is this really bad?
Also, I took it for about 3 months last time but wondered if they now recommend longer?
Have I been irresponsible?

No, you haven't been irresponsible. I didn't take it with my first, but did second time round and had twins, don't think the folic acid had anything to do with it though!!!!
I don't know how long they recommend it for now

I took an all in one pregnancy multivitamin with it in for before, during and after pregnancy. I have to say, I did take this religiously, but then I'm a 'if it can go wrong it will go wrong' kind of person. It depends on your diet - if you eat plenty of green leafy veg, you'll probably be OK.

I found the whole thing about swallowing tablets made me even more sick than I was already being so managed one or two in each pregnancy and no more but felt hugely anxious until the 20wk scan. I did read up on what contained it naturally and when I was eating made sure that I was eating those sorts of things (some/most breakfast cereals have it which was also good for settling a yukky tummy if eaten dry). I wouldn't worry, just eat a balanced diet.

Well the folic acid tablet idea wasn't around when I had dd1 but I must admit with dd2 I took it regularly pre-conception and in pregnancy. I still think that what you eat is more important than pill-popping though.

Janus I took folic acid throughout my pregnancy and iron tablets but I was slightly anaemic. I don't think you should feel bad. You can always eat cereals which are rich in folic acid for breakfast ?

I certainly didn't take folic acid - in fact I didn't know I was pregnant for the first 10 weeks (being menopausal age!) & so when I saw the midwife she said 'I assume you've been taking folic acid' & hadn't a clue what she was talking about!

Thanks all, I'm 16 weeks so feel it's a bit late to earnestly start now - I think the most important time is the first 3 months. Still, I think I have a pretty good diet, lots of fresh veg and I always fancy much more fruit when pregnant so I think I'm going to try and stop worrying but may own up when I start having ante-natal appointments.

Folic Acid is particularly important before conception and during the first 3 months. I think its main function is to help prevent spina bifida. There is some evidence that the man should be taking folic acid before conception as well. I don't think you can easily get the 400mcg that you need from what you eat even if you eat a well balanced diet.

janus, have you had a nuchal scan? hazy memory here but - i'm sure it also detects the risk for neural tube defects (taking folic acid is supposed to help prevent these) as well as downs syndrome. therefore, if your nuchal scan was ok you may well be fine and can stop worrying...

can anyone out there remember this better? not hard!

appalled by my terrible memory have hunted around on the net and fear i was mistaken - no reference to neural tube defects being picked up by nuchal scan. doh! should have checked before i posted.

think you have got it right, discuss with your midwife when you have your next appointment.

bossykate, you were right. In fact, when I researched it on the web (check under www.babycentre.co.uk and follow the links to the St.Barts triple test etc.) I found that the nuchal scan is particularly good at picking up neural tube defects and not as good at picking up downs syndrome. However, they generally lump the detection rate for the two together so I ended up deciding that I wasn't happy with the results and had an amnio any way as I am 39. However, that's not to say that you should worry Janus. The folic acid is helpful, but if you are young and healthy and take them occasionally, I'm sure it will be fine.

sofiaames, that is exactly the path i followed last night! when i read the bart's integrated description i thought it implied that the blood test would detect elevated levels of AFP which would be an indicator of spina bifida or anencephalus, but there was no specific reference to the scan picking it up. oh well, it was late i suppose, maybe i misread it!

oh dear, i am looking dumber by the minute!

bossykate, i will go back and check this weekend. I was pregnant when i read it so there is no accounting for what i thought it said and what it really said.

I don't want to panic anyone, and if you've forgotten your tablets then there's nothing you can do about it, but it really is SO very important to take them for at least three months before you conceive. A good diet is not good enough. You would have to add ten servings of broccoli, or five servings of spinach or an extra eight glasses of orange juice to your diet EACH DAY to achieve the necessary levels. This is just not a realistic dietary change. One little tablet each day can make the difference between a normal healthy baby and a child with problems for life. Sorry to drone on!

For our first baby I took folic acid for 5 months before conception and then for the first 4 months. However, this time around we weren't trying for a baby and I didn't find out that I was pregnant until at 7 weeks - I'm taking them now but you're making me feel paranoid!!!

took it for 3months each time, plus sporadically pre-conception the first time and for about 3 weeks this time before conceived. IKWYM about that 'gagging' feeling when you have to take a pill when you're feeling yuk. you think they'd make it easier for us...

Ouioui, didn't find out I was pg with ds (dreadful shock - had no intention whatsoever of EVER having children) until I was 9 wks pg (periods always very irregular prior to the pg). Up to that point I had taken no folic acid and had drunk horrendous amounts of alcohol (skiing holiday over New Year). Ds is fine, so I guess I was lucky. Taking folic acid reduces the risks, but not taking it doesn't necessarily mean your babe will have any problems.

Obviously best to take it if you can try and remember to - especially good to build reserves up pre - conceptually. Helps with the development of the nervous system, which is largely complete by the twelfth week of pregnancy, so advise to take folic acid until the end of your twelfth week. Of course, its only a recommendation, and very unlikely for there to be a problem if you don't take it - just a case of damage limitation I guess

Spina bifida affects 1 in 500 pregnancies in the UK. So today in Britain three women will be told that the baby they are carrying has spina bifida. I guess it depends on whether you think that's a low or a high risk. In response to the original question by Janus, three months before conceiving is still recommended, though there are some moves to have a higher dose approved.

By the way, I think most one a day multi vitamins contain 400 mcg of folic acid, so you'd be fine taking a multi. Someone mentioned swallowing pills...yuck. I have the same problem, particularly when pregnant and puking, so I take children's chewable vitamins - flinstones - which if you read the label usually contain the same as adult ones.

I don't want to be alarmist, but I'm sure my doctor told me not to take multi-vitamins when pregnant as too much vitamin A is bad - I think that's why you're not supposed to eat liver as well. Can't check my facts as my pregnancy guide is on loan

I believe that you are right Java. I was told/I read that you must never take any supplements during pregnancy (except Folic Acid) without specific instruction from a GP.

A lot of the supplements actually say not to take them if you are pg, or trying to conceive.

There is a difference between high-dose "supplements" of particular vitamins/minerals/enzymes and a multi-vitamin that has the recommended daily allowance of things. No you shouldn't take "supplements" without checking them out with your gp or other qualified doctor first, but multi-vitamins are perfectly ok for most people pregnant or not.

I took Pregnacare all through my pregnancy & before. It's specially designed for pregnancy, absolutely safe, kept my iron levels up beautifully, and had folic acid in it. I still take it most days when I remember. You have to take massive doses of retinol for there to be even a theoretical problem, and very few supplements have as much in them as a portion of liver pate.

i am on a cycle of ivf and an taking iron tablet one a day but recently i came across pregnacare tablets would this be o.k for me to take replacing my iron table one a day?

Also i would like to know what kind of food should i eat and avoid whilst being on my ivf treatment?