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Folic acid necessary for a healthy pregnancy

Doctors say maternal nutrition is linked to birth defects. U.S. women, particularly minorities, are not getting enough of the vitamin.

GREENSBORO, N.C. — March 3 is World Birth Defects Day. It's a day to raise awareness of birth defects, their causes, and their impact around the world.

Dr. Joseph Stringfellow is an OB/GYN with Novant Health. He said maternal nutrition is linked to birth defects. Folic acid is one of the most important supplements a pregnant patient can consume prior to and during pregnancy.

“It has multiple functions in the body, but the key function in pregnancy is it helps with the healthy development of the central nervous system,” Dr. Stringfellow said. “So, deficiency of folic acid can have devastating effects on the development of the pregnancy and the fetus."

Folic acid is the synthetic form of vitamin B9 or folate. Dr. Stringfellow said pregnant women or those looking to get pregnant should consume at least 600 micrograms every 24 hours. In most developing countries including the United States, a portion of that comes from grains like bread and cereals.

“That usually comes to about 200 micrograms of the recommended daily requirement of folate,” Dr. Stringfellow said. “So, we usually recommend at least 400 micrograms as an additional supplement leading up to and during pregnancy."

Dr. Stringfellow says many U.S. women, particularly minorities, are not getting enough of the vitamin. He said access and proper awareness are both contributing factors.

“We recommend starting folate supplementation at least three months before even conceiving and so, without that counseling there are a number of people who don't realize how important it is to already have adequate folate before you even become pregnant," Dr. Stringfellow said.

Some women may require more folic acid based on medications they take, medical history, or certain illnesses like sickle cell anemia. Dr. Stringfellow recommends women speak with their doctor about proper intake if they plan to get pregnant.  



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