Folic Acid daily dose?

[Disco3000]

I have been taking pregnacare original which has 400mg folic acid and the Dr prescribed me another 400mg even though I said I was taking pregnacare so do I need to take 800mg? I'm overweight, unplanned preg, 7 weeks.

Thank you!

www.nhs.uk/conditions/pregnancy-and-baby/vitamins-minerals-supplements-pregnant/

Nhs says you only need 400mg

Can you double check with your midwife in case there was another reason?

Hm. Some people are recommended to take 5mg instead of 400 micro grams (so 8 times the dose). I think being obese (bmi over 30) is one of the mentioned criteria?

Yup, BMI is one of the criteria for taking a higher dose as are some underlying health conditions / other medication. I took 5mg.

I'm high risk. On 5mg (5000mcg a day)

Also if there is a family history of spina biffida you need the higher dose.

Pregnacare Max has 200mg of folic acid and 200mg of folate (which is the same as you get in food). So there is capacity to take more. As you are obese the more folic acid you have the better and so 600mg of folic acid plus 200mg of folate from pregnacare/food sounds right.

You can eat as much folate as you like. Chicken has a lot of it.

I take extra due to being overweight. It won't harm baby or you at all.

I have been prescribed 5mg folic acid due to my bmi being high although the GP's words were due to me being "heavy" he's bloody lucky he said it over the phone to me as think I would be tempted to smack him face to face 😂