Didn't take Folic Acid pre pregnancy and So So Terrified can anyone relate at all

[RedSetter24]

Hi, I'm three weeks pregnant and didn't take folic acid pre-pregnancy.
I have been taking it for the last 2 weeks. I feel so desperate and I'm in a Google wormhole now I realise the benefits of Folic Acid. I realise how stupid I've been. I genuinely thought it was a supplement that aided pregnancy I wasn't aware of its need pre-pregnancy. This now seems so stupid and it's everywhere being talked about. The more I'm finding out and researching the more scared I am that their neural tube with be affected. Has anyone got any positive stories of not taking it. I'm so worried I've doomed my baby and I'm terrified about any upcoming scans. I want to go back in time and don't know what to do

I had an unplanned regnant with DD so hadn't taken any vitamins, plus I had HG so didn't take any while pregnant either. DD is 3 and has nit a thing wrong with her. Don't stress yourself out OP, may be worth talking to your midwife about anxiety

I didn’t with either of mine, both fine .

Google is not your friend in pregnancy! I worried about all sorts and if you keep looking for negative you will find it. Good luck, enjoy your pregnancy! X

@Wellmet @MyDCareMarvel I did a embryo transfer I know the exact day of conception. I am 22 days post transfer. I am so upset because I have gone so far and done so much and not taken on board something so simple and important

The day your period is due you are 4 weeks pregnant. So you wouldn't be aware of a pregnancy at 3 weeks.

You might. Sensitive pregnancy tests can pick up on a pregnancy from before 4 weeks, and if you're one of us unfortunate souls who get bad sickness in pregnancy, that can kick in before 4 weeks too.

Anyway OP agree that getting your anxiety in check is the priority here and glad to see you're on top of that. Stay away from Google when you're in a catastrophising spiral!

I didn’t take folic acid before I got pregnant, and for the first 20 weeks I was so sick I couldn’t keep down any supplements. My two year old is in perfect health.

I do think you need some support for anxiety of this level though. Pregnancy is a long slog and you will find a lot to send you sick with worry if you indulge in too much google diagnosis.

My apologies.

Honestly I had 2 unplanned pregnancies (I know!) and both are very healthy children. My third was planned so I took folic acid and all the other vitamins and she's no more or less healthy than the other 2. Try to stay calm if you can.

Oh I didn’t realise you had IVF. Does the fertility clinic know you didn’t take their advice regarding taking folic acid / vitamin D? Did you take it during the stimming cycle that produced the egg? Strongly suggest you call them to make sure you get the viability scan before you get discharged into the NHS.

I didn't realise you shoud take it before you got pregnant so I started once I found out adound 2-3 weeks. All was fine.

Btw head control has nothing to do with folic acid, no idea why PP are posting this

OP, it's thought that increased awareness around folic acid/increased intake of folic acid has led to an upturn in cases of tongue tie in newborns. This is obviously less serious than spina bifida but just wanted to show you that there are upsides and downsides to all advice.

Another midwife her, OP - so many women don't take folic acid before pregnancy that it isn't worth worrying about.

It does seem that you're very anxious and I hope you get a chance to discuss this fully with your own midwife.

I bet everything will be fine.

@FactoryEmblem - hilarious. the link between tongue tie and folic acid is as dubious as the link with head control. Where there is evidence is that taking a prenatal with folic acid / vitamin d / calcium / insolitol / omega 3 , like most Fertility clinics recommend their private patients do ( Pregnacare Max is ususually recommended), can help reduce the risk of preclampsia / gestational diabetes in some women. If she isn’t taking it she needs to talk to her consultant/

I didnt either OP, only started when I found out at about 6 weeks. Currently have a very active 11 month old climbing all over me!

I don't think I know anyone who took it pre pregnancy. Don't worry.

@wellmet considering I found out 8 days before I was due my period???

In my first pregnancy I was 8 weeks before I took any folic acid, as that's when I found out and he is a perfectly healthy 14 month old now 😊

I didn't take it pre pregnancy this time either, but took it as soon as I found out at 3 weeks, I wouldn't worry too much - just do what you can now.

I have a regular 25 day cycle and found out I was pregnant 21 days after my last period. Using a first response test that can be used 5 day before AF is due.

That makes it 3 weeks pregnant right?

@bearno2 you have addressed me using the @ symbol and included three question marks but I really don't understand the question you are asking so I can't answer you.

@leasedaudi I honestly don't know. I was under the impression that the day you period is due you are classed as 4 weeks pregnant but I honestly don't know how that works with shorter cycles.
Has any research been done to find a correlation between cycle length and pregnancy length? It's an interesting subject.

Anyway my point remains that knowingly being 3 weeks pregnant is an unusual occurrence.

What's head control got to do with anything? It's about reducing the risk of spina bifida and similar.

OP, while not ideal, as PP said plenty of women don't follow the recommendations to take it when TTC and chances are your baby will be just fine. Just keep taking it now for the first trimester.

Thank you everyone who has commented with encouraging examples or reassurance. I really appreciate it and it has calmed me somewhat.
It's good to see others who are / or have been in a similar position or know others who have. I've my viability scan on the 30th so will try to google and worry less, relax more and hope for the best. xx

@Wellmet I asked my midwife and she said the cycle length doesn't specifically affect pregnancy length, but that the dating scan would confirm the due date. My due date (28th) was then moved forward a week before the calendar due date to the 21st. But baby was born on the 1st of the next month so it was a longer pregnancy than expected! Who knows.

I didn't take it at in my last pregnancy as I suffered so badly from hg . Thankfully I have a very healthy clever 2.5 old now. I did feel so guilty but honestly I took me just to keep water down never mind trying to swallow medication

Oh OP, I sympathise so much with the anxious panicky feeling. I found the first trimester absolutely horrific for anxiety. I got insanely anxious over the fact I got drunk before I realised I was pregnant.

But please, PLEASE try not to worry. I know that’s easier said that done. Think how many women have unplanned pregnancies and don’t even find out they’re pregnant till they’re much further along than you. And I’d care to bet that the majority of women who are actively trying to get pregnant don’t take folic acid until they get a positive test. Plus, you will have got lots of folate from your diet anyway. And you’ve started taking it now - you’re still incredibly early in your pregnancy!

Congratulations and good luck.

My pregnancy was unplanned so I hadn’t taken any folic acid supplements prior to getting pregnant and finding out around 2 months along. I then took them for a couple of weeks around the 3 month mark and then stopped as I’m so bad at remembering to take tablets/vitamins!
My baby was born in May, weighing 8lbs 1oz and totally healthy with no problems. Try not to worry too much - the way I saw it was that people back in the day had healthy babies without folic acid supplements x

The day your period is due you are 4 weeks pregnant. So you wouldn't be aware of a pregnancy at 3 weeks. It is not likely to show up on tests at that stage

Why does this remotely trouble you? Honestly, why do you care at all?

Ignoring the fact that early pregnancy tests start working 5 days before your missed period which can quite easily make you aware of a pregnancy at 22 days, bit still, why? Why do you care?

Congratulations on your pregnancy! I didn't take folic acid pre pregnancy and had tequila shots the night before I found out I was pregnant, plus I was an 'older' mother (35). DD is totally fine and awesome. I'm not trying to be goady but if you are this stressed over something so minor, perhaps you should think about some relaxation techniques or counseling. Pregnancy and parenting gets waaaaay more stressful.