Folic acid- is it a necessity?

[debka]

I'm not a fan of taking supplements as I'd rather eat a healthy varied diet and get everything from food. I didn't take any supplements with DD (she is fit and healthy), but having the same thoughts again- what are your opinions?

I don't know whether its a necessity or not, but it didn't cost very much to buy and I really didn't want to take any chances (especially as I was 35+ for both pregnancies) so I took it.

I'm sure you could get enough from your diet, but on the other hand, it's cheap and proven to reduce the risks so why not? I do, anyway and my diet is good.

It's advisable. But you need to take it when you are ttc because if you wait until you know you are pregnant I seem to recall it's already too late? I may be wrong on that.

It's to reduce risk of spina bifida, isn't it?

ah yes here it is

I really don't know why anyone WOULDN'T take it when the evidence really points to the benefits. We don't get enough folic acid in our diets naturally, which is why breakfast cereals and some breads are fortified. Why not do something cheap and easy that can prevent such terrible complications?

BBC article here about how spina bifida is increasing in Scotland

news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8232089.stm

I thought it was whilst TTC and up to 12 weeks. Don't know why I'm worrying about this so much, you are all right, I should just take the damn things. Just hate taking any kind of pill, (sound like some lentil knitting organic person but not really!), seems unnatural to me. (on second thoughts maybe I am a closet lentil knitter....)

O bugger, now panicking, not quite 5 weeks, will go to chemist on Monday...

By 12 weeks the cells will have developed weather or weather not the child has spina bifida. The cells basically split the wrong way making the hole in the spine.

Yes, it's needed. As is vitamin D as you can't get it from diet and low level deficiencies are very common in the Western World (plus it's been linked to developing MS later in life and other things).

I'm out in the sun all day with my garden-obsessed DD. Won't that give me enough vit D

I only found out I was pregnant at week 5 and since we hadn't been planning it quite so soon I wasn't taking any pre-conception supplements. I then spent weeks 6-15 throwing up pretty much everything I tried to eat, drink or take so I only attempted taking folic acid very occasionally. Handy tip is that kellogs cereals are fortified with the stuff!! But I've been taking Sanatogen mother to be vitamins since about week 18 and they have folic acid in them so tbh, I do think it's a good idea to take a supplement if you can. Won't do you any harm and will prob do the baby some good so can't see why not...

Asparagus is full of Folic acid apparently. I can't remember where I heard it but it can't do any harm to eat it.

"low level deficiencies are very common in the Western World" -- only in places where sunshine levels are low. Not, for example, in places like the Mediterranean and Australia.

Debka, it depends on where you live in the UK. In the south, you can get sufficient vitamin D levels from sunshine. But there is a line in the UK (can't remember where -- certainly below Scotland) above which you can't get enough just by being in the sun. If you live in the north you'd be well advised to take vitamin D supplements as well as folic acid.

Fortunately we live on the south coast so should be ok- very interesting though, thanks beanlet.

Yep, sorry, should have clarified that the Med and Australia are fine! Also Florida and the southern states.

Even in southern UK, you should supplement unless you're outside all day most days - and without covering up or suncream! If you're fair skinned, you'll need to supplement or risk skin cancer by getting burnt.

NOTE re folic acid. It is BEST to take it while TTC, BUT it is one of the supplements that the body doesnt store up to any great extent, so starting to take it when you find out isnt going to make a huge amount of difference.
You are advised to take it while TTC to make sure youve been taking it over the 2 weeks before you get a positive test. Yes, you can get it in your diet - spinach and brocolli and the likes - but if you start to get morning sickness, there's no way you'll want to be eating that kind of thing!

Yes, it's important. My dd1 died because I hadn't taken enough of it. Some women's bodies don't metabolise it as well as others, but you don't know if you're one of them until you have a child with a neural tube defect. You want to know if it's worth the "risk" of not taking it? No. It bloody well isn't.

Just thought I would add that they are now saying you should take it for the whole of pregnancy, not just 12 while TTC and for first 12 weeks... Something to do with blood? Also, you can get it for FREE on perscription from your GP!

It's best to take a multi-supplement suitable for pregnancy throughout pregnancy as so many women struggle with anaemia, etc because it's so hard to cater for the extra nutritional demands when pregnant, especially if you get sickness.

I found this info too:

"Folate deficiency during pregnancy can increase the risk of preterm delivery, infant low birth weight, and fetal growth retardation.[38] Folate deficiency in the mother increases homocysteine level in the blood which may lead to spontaneous abortion and pregnancy complications such as placental abruption and preeclampsia.[38]"

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Folic_acid

So it's not just for preventing neural tube defects.