Folic acid or vitamin B9 is an essential component for the normal functioning of the body. It is involved in almost all processes, so the deficiency becomes noticeable immediately.
During pregnancy, folic acid requirements increase significantly, so women are prescribed it in tablet form. But recently, disputes have begun between doctors about the dangers of substances on the body and the advisability of taking it during the period of planning and bearing a baby. What is folic acid?
Composition and characteristics of folic acid
Folic acid is a synthetic vitamin that can dissolve in water. Its content in the body ensures normal blood supply and increases the level of immunity. But exceeding the dose can also cause side effects, therefore it is prescribed in specific dosages.
The composition includes active components under the collective name folacin. These are polyglutamates involved in metabolism and the formation of nucleic acids.
For people in normal conditions, the amount of folic acid they get from food is enough. However, during pregnancy, the body's needs increase several times, so additional medication is necessary.
Benefits of folic acid for pregnant women
Today, 80% of pregnant women take folic acid. Experts recommend starting the course during the period of planning a child, which significantly reduces the risk of disease.
Vitamin B9 is very active, it takes part in the synthesis of hemoglobin and improves immunity, accelerates the growth of new cells and tissues.
The benefits of this product are difficult to exaggerate; it acts as follows:
- Normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system, strengthens blood vessels and heart muscle;
- Provides transportation and synthesis of carbohydrates at the cellular level;
- Improves and accelerates the work of leukocytes;
- Improves performance nervous system, improves the process of impulse transmission;
- Takes part in the formation of the fetal neural tube;
- Normalizes the psycho-emotional state.
For pregnant women, its benefit is maximum; according to statistics, women who actively took folic acid throughout their entire period experienced pregnancy and childbirth much easier.
For pregnant women, vitamin B9 is very important; it significantly reduces the risks of:
- Premature birth;
- Miscarriage and frozen pregnancy;
- Mental retardation of the baby;
- Congenital pathological defects.
Can folic acid be harmful?
There have been debates about this issue for several years now and there is no definite answer to it yet. But scientists have concluded that harm can be caused to the health of a woman or an unborn child if doses are systematically exceeded.
Thus, increased level folic acid in the body can cause the opposite process. In women, the system of excitation and inhibition is disrupted, and instability of the emotional state may be observed.
Children have an increased risk of contracting respiratory diseases in the future. In some cases, doctors indicate the risk of asthmatic disease. But this happens rarely and only as a result of an overdose.
Indications for use
Folic acid deficiency dramatically affects the patient's physical and emotional health. Therefore, in some cases, you need to take the vitamin according to clinical symptoms.
Deficiency is signaled by various symptoms:
- Nervous disorders: neuroses, absent-mindedness, feelings of fear and danger, depression;
- Memory problems;
- Acute form of anemia;
- Stunted growth;
- The tongue becomes bright red, the process of inflammation begins on the oral mucosa;
- Frequent digestive disorders.
Pregnant women react especially acutely to a lack of folic acid. Problems arise with the development of the fetus, delays in growth and development. The risk of miscarriage increases. The women themselves feel bad and are restless. To avoid such a scenario, gynecologists recommend taking folic acid, but in the correct dosage.
Dosage
An average person needs about 250 mcg per day, but during pregnancy the need increases, so a woman needs to consume from 400 to 800 mcg.
The dosage is determined by the doctor. Largest quantity Should be taken in the first months of pregnancy, about 3 tablets per day. After 12 weeks and before giving birth, intake can be reduced to 1 tablet per day.
If during pregnancy a woman is forced to take antibiotics and other substances that reduce the level of immunity, then the dosage can be increased, but only with the permission of the attending physician.
Contraindications
Despite the fact that folic acid is considered to be a very useful and necessary vitamin, not everyone can take it. Contraindications include the following conditions:
- Vitamin B12 deficiency;
- Exceeding blood glucose levels;
- Isomaltase deficiency;
- Acute fructose intolerance;
- Age restrictions up to 3 years;
- Individual intolerance to components.
It is prescribed with great caution to pregnant women with pyelonephritis and increased allergic sensitivity. Although folic acid is an absolutely non-toxic substance, it is long time It's not worth taking.
Adverse reactions are extremely rare; they can include headaches, nausea, and minor abdominal pain.
Where can I get folic acid?
Pregnant women are prescribed vitamins in tablet form. This may be a drug of the same name or more modern products such as Folio, Elevit, Materna. They are available without a prescription in all pharmacies.
- greens (parsley, lettuce, spinach, dill, Brussels sprouts);
- beef liver;
- bran flour;
- cod liver;
- legumes and peas;
- peanuts, hazelnuts and walnuts;
- pumpkin, melon and citrus fruits.
When taken with food, an overdose is impossible, so this method of prevention is more reliable.
Also called “folacin,” medicine classifies folic acid as a B vitamin (namely B9). Its natural sources are some foods, vegetables, and cereals. Folic acid is usually prescribed during pregnancy or planning it in order to minimize the risk of developing abnormalities in the fetus.
What benefits does folic acid bring to the body? , and why this vitamin is so important for the baby and expectant mother?
Benefits of folic acid for pregnant women
Folic acid is also important for the mother herself. Deficiency of folacin can also cause pain in the legs, depression, and toxicosis.
and other troubles.
Folacin when planning pregnancy
Considering the fact that folic acid is necessary for the full formation of organs of the future baby, it is in mandatory prescribed to every expectant mother for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy .
Ideally taking B9 should be started when planning a child
– after all, already in the first days after conception, the fetus needs folic acid for normal development and the formation of a healthy placenta. 
What else do you need to know?
- Why do you need to take folacin when planning a pregnancy? First of all, to reduce the risk of pathologies (cleft lip, hydrocephalus, cerebral hernia, etc.), for the synthesis of DNA and RNA.
- When should you start taking folacin? Best option, if the reception begins 3 months before the planned date of conception. But if the mother did not have time, was not informed, or did not even realize that she was pregnant (underline as appropriate), start taking B9 as soon as you find out about your new status. Of course, after consultation with a gynecologist, who will prescribe the correct dosage.
- Folic acid – how should you take it? First, we introduce into our traditional diet foods that contain it - green leafy vegetables, herbs, orange juice, liver/kidneys, whole grain bread, nuts, yeast. We focus on fresh foods (heat treatment destroys folic acid). Naturally, control of folacin, which enters the mother’s body with food, is simply impossible. Therefore, when planning and becoming pregnant, doctors strongly recommend taking folacin tablets.
- Who is folic acid indicated for? First of all, to the expectant mother. But it will also benefit the future dad (when planning a pregnancy) due to its positive effect on the formation and motility of healthy sperm.
- Folacin dosage – how much to take? Traditionally, the norm for vitamin B9 for a woman planning a pregnancy is 0.4 mg/day. Dad will also need 0.4 mg. If there are pathologies in the family (relatives) caused by folacin deficiency, the norm is increased to 2 mg; at the birth of a child with these pathologies - up to 4 mg.
Only the doctor determines the dosage -
in accordance with each case, independent prescription of the drug is unacceptable (excess folacin will also not be beneficial). 
The website warns: self-medication can harm your health! Use all the tips presented only on the recommendation of a doctor!
During pregnancy, everyone understands that the nutrients entering the body of the expectant mother provide not only for her, but also for the baby actively developing inside her. However, not all beneficial nutritional components are of equal importance during this period; among them, there are those whose balance is especially important during pregnancy. One of them is vitamin B9, folic acid, which is sometimes even called the “women’s vitamin.”
Beneficial properties of folic acid
In order to appreciate the role of vitamin B9 during pregnancy, it is important to understand what folic acid is, why women (and men) need it, and what role it plays in our body.
It can be said without exaggeration that the amount of this particular substance largely determines what kind of blood we have.
And if we consider that blood, as we know, performs the function of delivering nutrients to all our organs and “removing” all sorts of nasty things from them, it provides water balance in the body, and also protects it from foreign cells, it becomes clear that folic acid, indirectly providing all these functions, is really necessary for all organs of our body without exception.
Did you know? In the body of an adult woman, the blood volume is about five liters, in men it is about 20% more, in school-age children - about three liters.
Its deficiency causes anemia, which is characterized, in addition to a decrease in the amount of red fluid, also by a change in its quality - a drop in the level of hemoglobin in it, and this means weakness, fatigue, drowsiness, dizziness and even loss of consciousness. 
As a derivative of the above, folic acid provides:
- normal functioning of our heart;
- maintaining immunity;
- normal intestinal microflora;
- active cell division and tissue growth (let's remember this, because we are exploring the importance of folic acid in relation to pregnant women);
- synthesis of enzymes, amino acids, as well as DNA and RNA chains;
- liver and digestive system health;
- correct nervous reactions (excitation and inhibition), including smoothing out negative emotions (which is why it is sometimes called “vitamin good mood"or "vitamin of happiness).
Why do pregnant women need it?
The absence of a deficiency of vitamin B9 during pregnancy is the key to the normal development of the fetus and the well-being of the mother.
The risk of premature termination of pregnancy, the development of congenital pathologies (especially the brain and spinal cord) and mental retardation of the baby is also significantly reduced, as is the likelihood of the so-called defect in the development of the fetal neural tube, from which, in fact, the child’s brain and spinal cord are formed, due to with which such pathology in complex cases is even an indication for artificial termination of pregnancy. 
In addition, which is also important, a normal supply of folic acid in the mother’s body will allow her to recover physically and emotionally after pregnancy much easier in the future, because, no matter what anyone says, the birth of a child is a serious burden on the female body.
Did you know? Vitamin B9 is needed not only by a pregnant woman, but also by a woman who is just planning to become a mother. That is why in the civilized world people make such decisions consciously and begin to prepare their bodies in advance - as a result, much fewer pathologies, tears, and tragedies subsequently arise!
It is especially important to compensate in advance for the lack of this substance in the body for women who took hormonal oral contraceptives or abused alcohol.
Daily intake of vitamin B9 during pregnancy
Folic acid is necessary during pregnancy, but, like any vitamins, it must be taken in doses.
Important! The rule “the more the better” is categorically inapplicable not only to medicines, but also to vitamins, and during pregnancy, by breaking this rule, you risk not only your health, but also the health or even the life of your unborn child (however, how will As stated below, with regard to vitamin B9, excessive efforts harm more the woman herself than the baby, but it is still better to be reasonable and listen to the doctor’s advice)!
Doctors recommend that a pregnant woman take 400 mcg of vitamin B9 per day, which is why this substance is usually dosed in tablets so that it is taken once during the day. However, we must understand that we are talking about the average situation of taking folic acid during pregnancy - the dosage for a “normal” mother during a normal pregnancy (the so-called prophylactic dose). 
The doctor may decide to increase the usual daily dose of the “female vitamin”, sometimes by an order of magnitude (ten times!) or even more, in case of diagnosed pathology in the development of the fetal neural tube, as well as in cases where the expectant mother suffers from certain diseases (for example, diabetes mellitus , epilepsy, pathologies of the small intestine or stomach, etc.) and is being treated with certain medications. In addition, an indication for increasing the dosage may be identified pathologies in relatives that increase the risk of hereditary defects in the infant.
Important! The tablet (or tablets) should be taken before meals, in which case the active substance is better absorbed. And for maximum effect, you need to take vitamin B12 along with folic acid, since these two substances, when interacting, enhance beneficial properties each other, and vice versa, in the absence of one, the beneficial effect of the other is sharply reduced.
Folate deficiency
We have already mentioned the dangers of a lack of folic acid in the body of an expectant mother. External signs of such a deficiency primarily manifest themselves in a change in the general emotional state of a woman: she becomes depressed or, on the contrary, overly restless, irritable, feels unreasonably anxious, and cannot concentrate. 
Memory and digestion deteriorate, the mucous membrane of the mouth becomes inflamed, and the tongue becomes bright red. Hair may begin to turn gray. In particularly severe cases, atherosclerosis may also develop and even a stroke or heart attack may occur.
Important! Symptoms of overdose in especially severe cases are indigestion, kidney disorders, severe nervous agitation, and (oddly enough) anemia.
As for the fetus, in addition to growth retardation and the development of dangerous pathologies, the overall risk of miscarriage increases.
Overdose
It must be recognized that an overdose of vitamin B9 is less dangerous, including for pregnant women, than its deficiency.
Firstly, you can only talk about a dangerous overdose if, instead of one pill, you took at least 25 at a time or ate the vitamin by the handful for several weeks in a row.Secondly, even in this case, an excess of vitamin in the body can pass without any serious negative consequences. 
Thirdly, as already mentioned, cases of fetal development pathology as a result of an overdose of folic acid have not been reported.
That is why folic acid must be used in strict accordance with the doctor’s recommendations and after carefully studying the instructions for use, especially during pregnancy, when the body is weakened and is especially susceptible to all sorts of risks.
Did you know? Replenish the daily requirement of folic acid during pregnancy by natural sources It is almost impossible: what we are able to eat during the day contains less vitamin than our body needs. In addition, most of it is destroyed during heat treatment and simply does not enter our blood.
Sources of folic acid
Foods rich in folic acid include the green plant group - parsley, spinach, avocado, broccoli and Brussels sprouts, Iceberg lettuce, green peas, onions, etc. There is also a lot of this substance in sprouted wheat, bran, asparagus, soybeans , lentils, melon, pumpkin, lemons and oranges, yeast.
Among animal products, liver is especially useful from this point of view, as well as fish, meat and cheeses. That's why healthy eating, including a large amount of greenery, fresh vegetables and fruits, as well as milk, meat and fish, are, of course, necessary for a pregnant woman, but the lack of vitamins, in particular folic acid, must be replenished by taking special medications and strictly as prescribed by the doctor.
Folic acid is one of the first medications prescribed to all women who find out they are pregnant. Sometimes gynecologists advise taking folic acid even at the stage of pregnancy planning.
In this article, we will analyze the need to prescribe folic acid to pregnant women, the timing of the prescription, the permissible doses of the drug and the duration of use.
Why is folic acid so necessary for pregnant women?
Folic acid belongs to the B vitamins. It is a water-soluble vitamin B 9. In the human body, it is capable of being synthesized by the microflora of the large intestine.
But it is synthesized in the intestines in small quantities. This amount is completely insufficient to cover daily requirement in it.
Where to get the missing amount of folic acid? From food. But even with the diversity and proper nutrition a person often does not receive enough daily folic acid.
During heat treatment of the product or as a result of prolonged exposure sunlight Vitamin B 9 is destroyed by it.
Therefore, during pregnancy, a deficiency of folic acid inevitably occurs in a woman’s body. In this regard, even ardent opponents of taking medications during pregnancy do not neglect taking folic acid.
It is especially important to make up for this deficiency at early stages– during the period of active growth of the fetus, the formation of all its organs and systems. It is in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy that folic acid should enter the woman’s body in large quantities.
Vitamin B 9 is involved in the process of cell division. Without the normal process of cell division, organogenesis (the formation of organs and body systems) is impossible.
Folic acid is also necessary for hematopoiesis and the formation of blood cells (erythrocytes, platelets, leukocytes). And this is also very important not only for the fetus’s body, but also for the mother’s body. After all, anemia during pregnancy is a fairly common problem.
A deficiency of this vitamin can lead to fetal malformations (defects of the spinal column, abnormalities in the development of the child’s maxillofacial region, and others).
The role of folic acid is very important in the formation and formation of the neural tube - the rudiment of the future nervous system of the fetus.
Therefore, among the pathologies of fetal development in conditions of folic acid deficiency, malformations of the nervous system are possible. For example, various disorders of brain development can lead to intrauterine fetal death, stillbirth, or the birth of a sick child.
Folic acid plays an important role in the synthesis of amino acids and nucleotides.
Proteins in the child’s body are built from amino acids.
DNA is built from nucleotides - the carrier of the genetic information of the organism. Therefore, at normal concentrations of folic acid, the structure of DNA molecules is formed without damage or mutations.
If there is not enough folic acid in the body of a pregnant woman, then over time a toxic substance, homocysteine, begins to accumulate. It can damage the walls of blood vessels, which can lead to dire consequences during pregnancy.
Damage to the vascular wall is fraught with premature placental abruption, which can lead to premature birth.
Also, elevated levels of homocysteine can contribute to the development of cardiovascular diseases.
Vitamin B 9 takes part in the formation of the placenta and its blood vessels. Therefore, its lack can lead to uteroplacental insufficiency.
With a deficiency of folic acid, the mother's body also suffers. A lack of vitamin provokes the development of anemia, toxicosis, and depression.
Why do you need folic acid during pregnancy planning?
Folic acid affects the structure of cell division, especially cells of the fetal nervous system. The baby's neural tube begins to form on the 16th day after conception. This is the period when most mothers do not yet know about conception.
Therefore, in many countries around the world, gynecologists recommend that women take folic acid in advance, that is, at the stage of planning pregnancy.
It is considered optimal if the expectant mother takes folic acid for at least 3 months before conception.
If a woman did not take folic acid before pregnancy and found out about her situation, for example, at 6-7 weeks of pregnancy, she still needs to start taking folic acid. Since during the entire first trimester the fetal neural tube undergoes further differentiation.
The preventive dose of folic acid during pregnancy planning and during the first trimester is 400 mcg per day. Otherwise – 0.4 mg.
Only a special group of expectant mothers (women at risk) are prescribed large doses of folic acid - 800-1000 mcg per day.
The risk group for having a child with congenital anomalies includes women who:
- there was a history of pregnancy that ended in the birth of a child with a pathology of the nervous system or other developmental defects, or fetal death;
- there are cases of hereditary diseases in the family (even among family members of a distant degree of kinship);
- there are serious diseases - diabetes mellitus, megaloblastic anemia, epilepsy, metabolic diseases, peptic ulcer, celiac disease, autoimmune diseases, severe toxicosis.
In the diseases listed above, the processes of absorption and breakdown of folic acid are disrupted.
And also medicines medications used for such diseases (anticonvulsants, antacids, cytostatics, etc.) impair the absorption of folic acid.
A doctor observing a pregnant woman at risk can adjust the dose of folic acid based on the results of the examination. In some cases, it may be necessary to increase the dose to 2-3 mg of folic acid per day.
It is worth paying attention to the fact that most folic acid preparations contain 1 mg of the substance in one tablet. Therefore, if you are not at risk, you will have to divide the tablet. Or you need to choose a drug that contains a dose that is right for you.
The tablets should be taken orally after meals. It is also acceptable to take folic acid with meals if a woman feels nauseous after taking the pill after a meal.
How not to overdose the drug?
Many women are afraid of high doses of the drug and believe that taking 1000 mcg (1 mg) of folic acid can cause an overdose.
There's really no reason to worry. It is quite difficult to overdose on folic acid. This is a water-soluble vitamin, the excess of which is easily eliminated by the body.
However, you shouldn't get carried away. Long-term use of high doses of the drug can lead to disturbances in the gastrointestinal tract, the appearance of a metallic taste in the mouth, sleep disturbances, irritability, anemia (as it leads to a deficiency of vitamin B 12).
Today, there are two opinions among doctors regarding the duration of taking folic acid during pregnancy.
Some believe that taking it for the first three months is enough. And in the future, the pregnant woman is recommended to take vitamin complexes containing folic acid and eat well.
Others recommend taking folic acid throughout pregnancy and continuing during pregnancy. breastfeeding. This is explained by the fact that throughout pregnancy and lactation the need for folic acid increases.
At the same time, a vitamin deficiency in the mother’s body that is not eliminated in time will lead to its deficiency in the baby’s body, since there will also be insufficient vitamin B 9 in breast milk.
What should you do? Trust your doctor and his opinion. Don't trust your doctor? Change it to someone you can trust.
Folic acid gets its name from the Latin word folium, meaning leaf. Because folic acid was first obtained from leafy greens.
The main sources of folic acid are green plants. These are spinach, wild garlic, parsley, lettuce, beans, lentils, beans, leeks, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, green peas, avocado.
A significant amount of vitamin B 9 is found in whole grain flour (with bran), cereals with an unrefined grain shell, and yeast.
Folic acid is present in liver, meat, fish, and hard cheese, but heat treatment of such products reduces its amount significantly.
It is better to eat vegetables and herbs raw or steam them to preserve their folic acid as much as possible.
If you infrequently consume the above products, then, of course, you should take additional folic acid in tablets or take vitamin-mineral complexes.
Drinking large amounts of tea negatively affects the absorption of folic acid. Moreover, tea accelerates its elimination from the body.
On the pharmaceutical market there are monopreparations containing only folic acid, and drugs with a combined composition.
Regular folic acid tablets (single drug) are available in dosages of 400 mcg, 500 mcg, 1000 mcg (depending on the manufacturer of the drug). Most often this is a dosage of 1000 mcg.
Foliber is a drug containing folic acid (400 mcg) and vitamin B 12 (cyanocobalamin - 2 mcg). Prescribed for the prevention of heart disease and anemia. Can be prescribed to pregnant women in the first trimester or planning pregnancy.
The drug should be used with caution in patients with impaired absorption of glucose or galactose, galactosemia or lactase deficiency, since the drug contains 23 mg of lactose per tablet. Take one tablet once a day.
Folio. The drug contains 400 mcg of folic acid and 200 mcg of iodine. This drug contains two important elements for a pregnant woman in a prophylactic dose.
Folio according to the instructions should be taken once a day, preferably during a meal, one tablet. For diseases of the thyroid gland, before taking the drug, you need to adjust the dose of the drugs already used (due to the iodine contained in the tablets).
Doppelhertz active Folic acid is a vitamin complex. Contains folic acid - 600 mcg, vitamin C - 300 mg, B 6 - 6 mcg, B 12 - 5 mcg, E - 36 mg.
The drug is prescribed for the prevention of heart disease, cerebrovascular accidents, and gynecological diseases. Suitable for the prevention of hypovitaminosis during pregnancy and lactation. Prescribed 1 tablet once a day with meals.
Folic acid with B 6 and B 12 (Evalar). The drug contains: folic acid - 600 mcg, vitamin B 12 - 5 mcg, vitamin B 6 - 6 mg. This is a biologically active food supplement.
Indications for use are the same as for the above drugs. The recommended course of treatment is 4-6 weeks. Take 1 tablet once a day, preferably with the first meal.
Multivitamin complexes such as Elevit Pronatal, Materna, Vitrum prenatal, etc. often prescribed to pregnant women with iron deficiency, deficiency of folic acid and other vitamins when carrying a child and breastfeeding.
Important: women with excess calcium in the blood should not take calcium-containing vitamin complexes for a long time.
Folic acid "9 months" and Mamifol each contain 400 mcg of folic acid. Prescribed to prevent folic acid deficiency in women of childbearing age during pregnancy planning stages (1-3 months in advance) and to prevent the development of neural tube defects in the fetus. Take 1 tablet per day.
To treat established folic acid deficiency, Folacin or Apo-filik is used. The preparations contain 5 mg of folic acid per tablet.
There are also iron supplements that additionally contain folic acid. These are Maltofer, Hemoferon, Fenyuls Zinc.
These drugs are used mainly for iron deficiency, folate deficiency and iron deficiency anemia. They are not entirely suitable for the prevention of folic acid deficiency during pregnancy, since they contain a dose of folic acid lower than the preventive dose - 300 mcg.
Folic acid preparations are sold without a prescription and always remain affordable. However, a woman should not make her own decisions regarding the intake and dosage of folic acid during pregnancy.
Always check with your doctor about the required dosage, duration of use, conditions for taking the drug, and the compatibility of the drug with other medications you are taking. Including vitamins.
Vitamins are also medicines, chemical substances that, if handled improperly, can, in combination with other substances in your body, produce a chemical reaction that will cause irreparable harm to your body and the body of your child.
Be prudent and careful when using medications. Health to you and your children!
For women planning a child, or already pregnant, doctors prescribe vitamin B9 (folate, folacin). What is it, what does it do, what does it look like in the photo and why is it useful to take folic acid during pregnancy?
Folacin is a water-soluble vitamin that is actively involved in the fundamental processes of the body. It is synthesized by bacteria that live in the intestines in small quantities. Therefore, the basic need can only be satisfied from the outside.
Acid is prescribed if there is a shortage in the body. With a deficiency, the processes of hematopoiesis, the formation of leukocytes, platelets, red blood cells, and the absorption of iron are disrupted. The substance is involved in the synthesis of amino acids RNA and DNA, helps the egg mature, and maintains optimal levels of homocysteine, which is responsible for heart health.
At the beginning of pregnancy, acid is prescribed to prevent the development of defects in the nervous system of the fetus; in the later stages, it helps the expectant mother normalize the functioning of the body. This is the valuable effect of this vitamin.
The benefits and harms of folic acid during pregnancy
If it’s prescribed, it means it’s missing
At the beginning of gestation, intensive division of the neural tube of the embryo occurs, the spinal cord and brain are formed. A woman may not know that she has conceived, but important processes of the birth of a new life are already taking place in her body.
At the beginning of pregnancy, acid is especially useful. Taking it prevents spinal fissures, congenital absence of the spinal cord or brain, and cerebral hernias in a child.
A lack of vitamin B9 is harmful because:
- increases the likelihood of mental retardation in a child;
- disrupts the formation of the placenta, provokes abruption, causes spontaneous abortion;
- leads to congenital defects, fetal deformities, pathologies of the cardiovascular system, the formation of cleft lip and cleft palate (cleft palate).
It is necessary to take folacin when later. A sufficient amount of it prevents the development of postpartum depression, reduces apathy, and improves lactation.
Problems can be minimized even when planning pregnancy and during pregnancy if you take acid preparations. After all, it is impossible to create a supply of it, and it is difficult to obtain it from food.
According to statistics, folate deficiency occurs in 50% of women. Studies have shown that their regular use during planning and at the beginning of pregnancy reduces the risk of fetal defects by 80%. In large doses, acid is harmful. Therefore, you need to take it according to your doctor’s recommendations.
Symptoms of excess and deficiency of folic acid during pregnancy
B9 deficiency develops rapidly. The first symptoms appear within a week, and a month-long lack of acid leads to a critical condition:
- pale skin;
- irritability;
- nervousness;
- fatigue;
- low performance;
- impaired memory, attention;
- the appearance of age spots and acne on the skin;
- sudden weight loss.
These signs are nonspecific and may indicate stress or be a variant of the norm during pregnancy. But if you do not compensate for the lack of acid, this is fraught with dangerous consequences for the fetus and the expectant mother.
You can accurately determine the level of folacin in the body by taking a blood test. Normal values range from 7–45 nmol/l.
Very useful for the child too
Instructions for use of folic acid
Vitamin B9 tablets are the same drug as the others. Therefore, you should not take it without a doctor's prescription. The official manufacturers' instructions contain recommended daily and single doses, methods of taking the acid, how long to use it, and how to use it correctly. Therefore, all women must read it.
According to clinical recommendations under order 572n, the daily dose of folacin is 0.4 mg. According to other sources, to maintain pregnancy in the first months you need to take 0.8 mg per day. The doctor decides whether it is too much or too little.
The medication begins 6 months before the planned conception, and the optimal duration is up to 12 weeks of gestation. In the last trimester, doctors also often advise taking acid.
Usually the entire dose is given at one time. This should be done in the morning a quarter of an hour after breakfast, washed down with water. You should not take folacin before meals, as it increases acidity on an empty stomach, causing problems with the gastrointestinal tract. And in pregnant women with toxicosis it can lead to nausea and vomiting.
The doctor prescribes doses higher than the prophylactic dose for pregnant women with established vitamin B9 deficiency, as well as in the following cases:
- the presence of factors that increase folate intake or accelerate its excretion;
- high risk of nervous system abnormalities (epilepsy, diabetes mellitus in pregnant women);
- presence of developmental defects in the family history;
- disruption of the stomach and intestines.
Take strictly according to prescription
What is the dosage of folic acid for pregnant women
Folacin deficiency is especially critical in the earliest stages, in the first 2 weeks. Therefore, doctors recommend starting to take it at the planning stage. But there is no clear answer to how long you need to take the drug. Some prescribe it even in the later months of pregnancy.
Doctors insist that women take vitamin B9 in the first trimester. During this period, it is of maximum importance; even a slight lack of it can negatively affect the fetus.
Many pregnant women are advised not to stop taking it for the entire 9 months. This is especially true for women with pathologies or twins. Here, folacin in the second and even last trimester will not hurt.
Prophylactic doses according to instructions:
- minimum – 400 mcg (0.4 mg)/day;
- maximum – 800 mcg (0.8 mg)/day.
If the deficiency is pronounced, a dosage of 5 mg is needed. Unauthorized consumption of this amount of vitamin is contraindicated, as it can be dangerous.
May be prescribed for prevention
Acid tablets are available in 100, 400, 1000, 5000 mcg. To prevent deficiency, capsules containing 400–1000 mcg are prescribed in an amount of 1 piece daily. The dose of 0.5 mg is therapeutic. Folacin is often prescribed with vitamin E. The substances potentiate each other’s effects during pregnancy.
When to stop taking folic acid
The question of until what week you drink folacin is individual. The doctor decides the period of withdrawal.
Consultation with a doctor is required
Which folic acid is best to take during pregnancy?
Most often, women are prescribed complexes. These are preparations containing preventive doses of vitamins and minerals (E, folacin, ascorbic acid, iodine, iron, zinc, magnesium, calcium). Here are their names and photos:
- Folio;
- Elevit;
- Pregnavite;
- Spirulina;
- Multitabs;
- Centrum.
When taking any of these drugs, the body is replenished with the necessary daily norm vitamin B9, as well as other microelements. The advantage of complex products - no need to purchase different medicines, since all substances contain one tablet.
Monopreparations of folacin are often prescribed together with other drugs: Omega-3, Iodomarin, Vitamin E. The patient and the doctor decide which method and regimen to choose.
Rich in vitamin B9
List of foods with folic acid for pregnant women
If a woman prefers to use natural sources of folate instead of medications, she needs to know which foods are high in folate. This:
- cereals: rice, buckwheat, oatmeal;
- vegetables: carrots, tomatoes, asparagus, beets;
- walnuts;
- cottage cheese;
- milk powder;
- beans;
- green peas;
- egg yolk;
- wholemeal bread;
- beef liver.
These foods should be included in your daily diet to prevent folate deficiency.
Folic acid has no analogues
Folic acid analogues
Those who are allergic to folacin are wondering what to replace it with to ensure the health of their unborn baby? There are no analogues of vitamin B9. The only way out is to give up drugs based on it and get the required daily amount with food.
Allergy to folic acid during pregnancy: symptoms and treatment
Signs:
- widespread rash accompanied by itching, burning, urticaria;
- Quincke's edema - mucous membrane, skin or tissue, poses a threat to life if it spreads to the larynx;
- anaphylactic shock;
- eczema;
- bronchial asthma.
If a woman notices symptoms, as in the photo, while taking vitamin B9, what should she do? You must stop taking the medicine and consult a doctor. Typically, antihistamines and enterosorbents are prescribed to treat allergies.
Causes allergies in the form of acne and swelling
What are the dangers of overdose?
An excess of vitamin can lead to:
- increased excitability: a woman becomes irritated, prone to insomnia, frequent mood swings;
- digestive disorders: nausea, bitter or metallic taste in the mouth, stool disorders;
- functional changes in the kidneys;
- allergic reactions: skin rash, itching, urticaria.
In pregnant women, an overdose can be recognized by an excessive increase in fetal weight. There is a risk of obesity diabetes mellitus, asthma, a tendency to allergies in a child.
It is difficult to achieve excess acid, since its excess is excreted in the urine. Usually there is a lot of it in pathologies of the kidneys and liver.
Adverse reactions are rare, folacin preparations are well tolerated, with the exception of people prone to allergies. For them, the product can be dangerous.
Beware of overdose
Should I take folic acid after a frozen pregnancy?
In case of fetal death, it is necessary to observe balanced diet and take vitamins, including folacin, to ensure a normal next pregnancy. This will help improve the health of the body, restore immunity and hormonal levels.
How much does folic acid cost for pregnant women: price in pharmacies
You can buy vitamins containing folate at the following prices:
- Acid in tablets – 38 rubles;
- Folacin – 130 rubles;
- Folio – 690 rub.;
- Elevit – 580 rub.;
- Spirulina – 1115 rub.;
- Centrum – 514 rub.
Folic acid throughout pregnancy: reviews
Ksenia Sumskaya.
I drank Elevit. It contains folk music too. The gynecologist canceled at 20 weeks. She said it was good for the child.
Oksana Surova.
I don't trust doctors. We gave birth before without all these dietary supplements and vitamins. And nothing. And for folk to be in the body, you need to eat buckwheat, eggs and beef liver.
: Borovikova Olga
gynecologist, ultrasound doctor, geneticist