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?

Yes it would be fine. I would say eat normally, though if you might be pregant you could follow the normal guidelines - avoid liver, pate, cheese with rind on and blue cheese. But few of us make any modifications until we actually have a positive test, with no ill-effects.

I took and am still taking Sanatogen one a day for pre-conception, pregnancy and breastfeeding, have spent a fortune on the things have been taking them since January 2003!!

I took folic acid religiously during conception and then for the first three months and then stopped. I have now been told (by Dr in Italy) that I must start taking it again now! Am 35 weeks pregnant. When I asked why she said that for the first 3 months it is for the development of the baby but now it is for me!! Very odd.

gosh I am really worried now, am 11 weeks pg and hardly took any pre-conception, and have definitely not taken it every day since i found out i was. I just seem to have a mental block when it comes to remembering.

ooops, just realised the date on this..

no folic acid for 2 pregnancies, it made me puke even more.

I puked so much from 6-12 weeks that I couldn't keep anything down, not water or any fluid, not tablets, and the conception was a total surprise, so me + the father had not taken in the 3 months before. Obviously it is very bad not to take your folic acid BUT there is an overwhelmingly high chance that everything will be fine. When it comes to babies it is never worth taking any risk on purpose, it's as simple as that, and the risk is still too high even if the odds are in your favour. But it would be a mistake to spend the rest of your pregnancy worrying about it, now, I think.