When do you need to start taking folic acid?

[KeepSmiling83]

I've got one DD and took folic acid when we started TTC and I fell pregnant after 2 months. We are just starting to TTC again and I have been taking folic acid for the past 4 weeks. Do I need to take it for a certain number of weeks before trying?

It's complicated by the fact that there is a history of NTD in my husbands family (only one case) so I have just been prescribed a higher dose which I can start taking today. But do I need to wait for this to be in my system before trying? We have DTD once so I could be pregnant but highly doubt it and don't know if I should wait until I have been taking the higher dose for longer?

The NHS advice is for at least one month before you get pregnant, I assume so it's in your system in the weeks before you get your BFP. The neural tube is formed very early in embryonic development. In your shoes I would just carry on TTC and take the higher dose from now - if you are pregnant this month nothing else you can do about it anyway, if you get a BFN then by next cycle you'll have been on the increased dose for a month anyway.

Thank you! That makes total sense!

www.fpa.org.uk/planning-pregnancy/folic-acid - says to start taking at least 3 months prior to conception