Aibu to ask how many took folic acid before getting pregnant?

[Worriedmum2be]

In a bit of a panic here, was 4 days late so took test today, not really expecting to get a positive result (been very sporadically ttc) and yes got the positive!
DH and I decided to start ttc about 2 months ago so I bought the folic acid, took them for a week, then went on hols and forgot to pack them. Since then I have been taking them off and on ( around 40 pills since sept) and we have continued to ttc but not very often ( around once a week) I really meant to get back into the routine of taking it then we'd make a concentrated ttc effort.
I'm now completely panicking that through my lax attitude to the folic acid I will have destined my baby to some neural disorder!
Could I please have some reassurance?! I'm seeing the doctor on thurs but have spent all day today feeling sick with nerves and regret.

Hi there
Congrats on your pg.
I'll move this for you into our pregnancy topic
Best
M Towers

I swapped contraceptive pills for Folic acid so was already in the habit of popping a pill a day but as others have said it occurs naturally in food stuff anyway.

I took it when trying for DS1 and for the first 3 months, I took it when trying for DS2 but as it took 3 years to get pregnant I lapsed, started again as soon as I found out I was pregnant with him

Took it when ttc but due to bad sickness I never managed to keep it down from being a few weeks pregnant.

Both my DCs were unplanned so i started taking folic acid around 5 weeks, both are absolutly fine, remember, folic acid is also in peas, green veggies cereals and bread, its not like you won't have had any at all, relax and enjoy baby worried Congratulations (grin)

Congratulations!

Try not to worry as there is nothing you can do now except just keep taking the folic acid regularly for the rest of your first trimester.

Neural Tube Defects are rare but they do happen. When trying for no. 2, the only pregnancy where I was lax about taking folic acid once I knew I was pregnant, suffered a NTD. The baby was diagnosed with anencelphaly at the 12w scan, a fatal condition whhich affects 1 in 10,000 pregnancies. Did I feel shit? Why yes I did, especially as I also had suffered three miscarriages.

Apparently the neural tube is fully developed by the 30 day after conception which is when most people find out they're pregnant so that's why you're meant to take it when you're ttc. After the 30 th day it's too late to help with the neural tube but the folic acid helps the development of other body parts.
I saw the doctor today who reassured me that the chance of NTD are fairly low and I'm a low risk case so just start taking the folic acid now and hopefully all will be well!

I started taking them about three months before I conceived, but I would forget to take them once or twice a week. I am almost 12 weeks so will stop soon, and then I will find something else to feel guilty about!