Taking folic acid supplements will reduce the risk of spinal defects in your baby by 70%. Studies have shown that over a third of Irish women do not take folic acid supplement before and during early pregnancy. Ireland has on of the highest rates of neural tube defects (NTD) in Europe, between 49 to 93 babies born every year, according to the Department of Health.
What is folic acid?
Folic acid is the synthetic form of B vitamin, folate. While folate exists naturally in some foods, and these should be part of your diet, few can eat the amounts required to reach the ideal folate dose to lower the risks of NTD.
The natural folate in foods also diminishes when food is stored and prepared. You would need to consume double the dose of folic acid through food, to reach the required levels of 400 µm, which means 500g or raw spinach or 900g raw broccoli. There is very little risk that you might take too much folic acid, the limits are very high and your body will get rid of any excess.
What is NTD?
NTD, neural tube defects, are malformations of the central nervous system, brain and spinal cord. Babies develop their neural tube, which later becomes the brain and spinal cord, during the first weeks of pregnancy and the folic acid helps this development. If this neural tube does not close properly it results in an NTD.
A pregnancy where an NTD is present will very likely result in a miscarriage. Babies that survive minor anomalies usually have both physical and intellectual disabilities, these can be paralysis, incontinence, foot and knee deformities and learning disabilities.
When is it taken?
To get the benefits of the folic acid supplement women should take a daily dose of 400 µm (micrograms), at least two months before conception and until the 12th week of pregnancy. Because less than 50% of pregnancies in Ireland are planned and many women are not aware of a pregnancy immediately, the Department of Health recommend that all women of childbearing age take the supplement daily. If you are pregnant, you should start taking folic acid as soon as you can.
Not only does folic acid help to prevent neural tube defects in unborn babies, reduce the risk of anaemia, heart disease but also possibly depression and Alzheimer's.
Natural folate
Folate is found naturally in many products we eat, but few can eat the quantity of foods required to intake the right amount of folate. Some foods, such as breakfast cereals, bread and milk, have been fortified with folic acids, but make sure to see a logo indicating this. Folate rich products should be part of your diet, but you will still need to supplement with folic acid.
Here are some folate rich foods:
- Milk products (milk, yoghurt)
- Pulses (beans, chickpeas, lentils)
- Root vegetables (parsnips, beetroot)
- Green leafy vegetables (cabbage, spinach, ruccola)
- Fruit (oranges, kiwi)
- Berries (blackberries, strawberries)
- Brassicas (broccoli, brusselsprouts, cauliflower)
- Whole wheat products (cereals, brown bread, brown rice)
For more information see http://www.folicacid.ie/
Image credit: Stefano Valle/FreeDigitalPhotos.net
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