Folic acid is the best preparation for pregnancy. Almost every woman is told to take folic acid supplements before pregnancy to prevent birth defects in her children. Folic acid is one of the vitamin B complexes that promotes the maturation of young cells in the bone marrow. Supplementation is very important for pregnant women and their fetuses. So what are the precautions for taking folic acid tablets? Come and learn the relevant knowledge with us below!

Precautions for taking folic acid tablets

1. It is best to start taking folic acid three months before and after pregnancy

Pregnant women who are preparing for pregnancy should start taking folic acid three months before pregnancy. The purpose of taking folic acid tablets is to maintain the folic acid content in the body of female friends at a certain level, so as to ensure that the embryo has a better nutritional status of folic acid in the early stages of pregnancy.

The 3 months after pregnancy is a critical period for supplementing folic acid. Taking folic acid at this time has the best effect. Because the 3 months after pregnancy is an important period for fetal growth and development, the human body’s demand for nutrients at this time is much greater than that of ordinary people. If the mother’s body lacks folic acid at this time, the baby is likely to be born with birth defects. Such as congenital heart disease, cleft lip, mental retardation and other problems.

2. Do not take too much folic acid

Pregnant women should be able to control the dose of folic acid. Taking 0.4 mg per day is enough. If a woman takes two or more multivitamins at the same time, Tablets, coupled with the sources of vitamins in daily meals, may lead to excessive folic acid or vitamin supplements, causing poisoning. If a woman is taking long-term multivitamin tablet supplements and at the same time taking pregnant women's formula milk powder fortified with multivitamins, she must learn to calculate the total amount of vitamins contained in both to avoid poisoning caused by excessive supplementation.

Therefore, female friends must not blindly think that the more folic acid supplements are, the better. They should consider the actual situation and read the folic acid tablet product instructions. If you don’t know how to calculate the optimal amount of folic acid to consume in a day, it is best to consult a doctor and take it under the guidance of a nutritionist to avoid overdosing and affecting the health of yourself and your baby.

3. Folic acid is best taken after breakfast

Generally, folic acid can be taken after breakfast. Because folic acid has a stimulating effect on the stomach, taking it before meals is likely to cause stomach discomfort and affect appetite, so it is recommended to take it after meals. It is better to take it half an hour after a meal.

Is it necessary to take folic acid tablets before pregnancy?

You must take folic acid before pregnancy. Some fetal malformations are caused by a lack of folic acid, and cleft lip is one of them. Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin that is abundantly stored in green leafy vegetables, fruits and animal livers. Folic acid participates in the entire process of human metabolism and is an essential vitamin for the synthesis of DNA, an important substance in the human body. Why should you take folic acid before pregnancy? In addition to causing neural tube malformations in the fetus, its deficiency can also increase the malformation rate of the eyes, lips, palate, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular, kidneys, bones and other organs.

Start taking folic acid 3 months before pregnancy to reduce the chance of neural tube defects in newborns by 70%. Therefore, women who are preparing to become pregnant should start taking 400ug of folic acid every day before pregnancy, and eat more fresh vegetables, fruits, nuts, orange juice and other foods high in folic acid. Be sure to take folic acid before pregnancy to reduce the risk of neural tube defects in newborns. From the 3 months before pregnancy, you should also pay attention to strengthening nutrition, eat more high-protein and vitamin-rich foods, and supplement more minerals, vitamins, trace elements, etc. to ensure the development of reproductive cells. The diet should be diverse, not picky, and avoid eating contaminated food.

What are the foods rich in folic acid?

Foods with high folic acid content (150-300 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams, or even more): cooked black beans, cabbage, beef extract , yeast paste, parsnips, kale, spinach, multigrain bread, green leafy vegetables, broccoli.

Foods with moderate folate content (50 to 150 micrograms of folate per 100 grams): cooked soybeans and kidney beans, cauliflower, potatoes, iceberg lettuce, oranges and orange juice, peas, beans stewed in tomato sauce, Whole wheat bread, cabbage, green beans, green peppers, zucchini, yogurt, white bread, eggs, brown rice, whole wheat pasta.

Foods fortified with folate include some breads and cereals.

Folic acid-fortified bread is available in the private-label bread section of most supermarket chains. Two slices of folic acid-fortified bread provide about 90 micrograms of folic acid. Some of the market-leading brands also produce folate-fortified breads, so look for the logo when purchasing. Many cereals are also fortified with folic acid, but the content varies widely, so check the ingredient label when purchasing. Some high-folic acid fortified cereals contain more than 300 micrograms of folic acid per 100 grams.