Folic Acid Pregnancy

folic acid pregnancy

Folic Acid Pregnancy

Getting pregnant and having a baby is a wonderful experience for all women. But the miracle of life is a very strenuous time for the woman. Your body goes through immense changes on the outside and on the inside.

Growing a baby inside you puts a lot of stress on your system and dealing with all the physical changes, hormonal fluctuations and chemical imbalances in the right way is essential for the health of the baby and for you. There are certain severe problems that can arise that can cause the death of either the mother or the baby or even both. Some of the severe conditions that could lead to the death include Ectopic Pregnancy and placental abruptions.

The need for proper nutrition is paramount during a pregnancy. The vitamin and mineral intake needs to be increased as well as other essential nutrients. One thing that you will observe if you are pregnant then your appetite will increase because, let’s face it, you are eating for two. So you also have to double your nutritional intake.

The few important vitamins and minerals are – Vitamin A, Vitamin Bg, Vitamin D and Calcium. During the entire term of the pregnancy the calcium in your bones is being dissolved and added to the baby’s bones so if there is enough calcium in your system this leeching of calcium in your bones will be minimal.

You are also at a higher risk of infections like salmonella so there is a great need practice good hygiene and thoroughly cook all food especially eggs and chicken. Even your immediate surrounding must be kept very clean to reduce and mishaps. You should also be particularly careful of cat feces which are the main cause of toxoplasmosis.

The baby too is at a high risk of deformities and diseases that might result from malnutrition. One of the most severe conditions is called Neural Tube Defect or NTD. This condition is caused by the incomplete closure of the neural tube. This means that some of the baby’s vertebrae remain unfused and so the spinal cord can protrude out of the spine and in cases out of the body itself in a small sac.

The right amount of folic acid in the body can help prevent NTDs. The US department of Health and Human Services has published the exact folic acid intake required to prevent NTDs. You should have and average intake of about 400-600mcg during the conception, duration, and breast-feeding stages – 400mcg, 600mcg and 500mcg respectively.

If your last pregnancy resulted in a baby with NTD then you should consult a doctor and up your dosage. You can be prescribed up to 4000mcg of folic acid in a multivitamin form. But care needs to taken to not self treat or overdose. That could be dangerous.

Folic Acid Pregnancy

Folic acid also called folate is known to most as vitamin B9.it is found mostly in leafy vegetables like spinach, orange juice and grains. It is used to make the extra blood (for the baby) during pregnancy. Studies have shown that women who get 400 micrograms (0.4 milligrams) prior to conception and during early pregnancy reduce the risk that their baby will be born with a serious neural tube defect (a birth defect involving incomplete development of the brain and spinal cord) by up to 70%.

Doctors and scientists still aren't completely sure why folic acid has such a profound effect on the prevention of neural tube defects, but they do know that this vitamin is crucial in the development of DNA. As a result, folic acid plays a large role in cell growth and development, as well as tissue formation.

It is recommended that women of child bearing age (even those not trying to conceive) should consume folic acid on a daily basis.

Generally neural tube defects occur about 25 days after conception, sometimes a few days later or sooner, but almost always before a woman realizes she is pregnant. Because of this it is so important that women begin taking folic acid supplements before they begin trying to conceive.

This ensures the woman has enough folic acid for her baby’s neural tube development regardless if she knows she is pregnant or not.

Also, pregnant women need more folic acid because they are supporting an extra life even after the neural tube is developed.

In addition, breastfeeding moms also need extra folic acid so finding a good folic acid supplement and implementing it into your lifestyle is essential if you want to conceive, during your pregnancy, as well as when you are breastfeeding.

>Here are a few foods that are rich in folic acid and can be consumed on a daily basis.

Leafy green vegetables, such as a large spinach salad
Rice and Pasta
Breads and Cereals
Beans
Citrus fruits, such as orange juice

The recommended dose of vitamin B9 is 400mg. orange juice is the easiest way to get this daily requirement. You can calculate the quantity orange juice has from the information given on the side of the container. Multiply this by the quantity you consume and then adjust the amount you consume accordingly. So, supplementing your daily diet with vitamin B9 is the best way to ensure your health as well as the health and proper development of the baby.

Folic Acid Pregnancy

When women get pregnant all they concentrate on is how to make the baby healthy and fit. This is why they start reading books and articles on how they can do this. Even if you are planning to get pregnant or are of child bearing age then you should adhere to certain measures so that both you and your baby remain healthy throughout the entire conception period.

The presence of folic acid or folate in the body is imperative if you are pregnant, planning to get pregnant or even if you are of child bearing age. Folic acid is the other name for vitamin B9 and it is very essential for the proper formation of the neural tube of the baby.

There can be neural tube defects in the baby or fetus right from the beginning, i.e. even before you know you are pregnant. So if you want your baby without any defects then you should make sure that there adequate folic acid in your body. there are some common symptoms through which you can elize if there enough folic acid in your body, they are headache, fatigue, anemia, dizziness, etc. if you have any of these symptoms you can consult your doctor and get advice on how you can increase this vitamin in your body. The absence of this vitamin deteriorates the functioning of the immune system.

Almost 50% of the pregnancies are planned, so if you are planning to get pregnant you should make sure that there is adequate presence of folic acid or vitamin B9 in the body so that the baby doesn’t develop neural tube defects, this defect occurs when the formation of the brain or spinal cord is not proper. If there is appropriate folic acid in the body of the mother then the baby’s chances of contracting any defects reduces to 70% - 75%. Hence to maintain the health of the fetus it is essential for the mother to be healthy.

To avoid any problems it is beneficial to increase the intake of folic acid when you are of child bearing age. There are some food stuffs and juices that you can and should consume for this purpose, they are leafy vegetables, oranges, orange juice, etc. you can get information on this issue on the internet or you can also visit your doctor so that you can get the best remedy for this problem.

Folic Acid Pregnancy

There are a few vices that you must be very careful to avoid. If you are a regular drinker or a smoker then you need to completely cut both alcohol and tobacco out of your life for the duration of the pregnancy and the period that you will be breast feeding.

Since your body is already overworking and is highly stressed stimulants like these can have severe effects on you and the baby. Alcohol even in small doses can really harm your body. But studies have shown that a small glass of red wine can help induce labor. But this should be kept as a last resort.

Tobacco smoke even in passive inhalation can be extremely hazardous. The amount of harmful toxins and materials like unburnt carbon and tar entering your lungs can put a lot of strain on your lungs and even affect the development of the baby’s internal organs that are still in the initial stages. Any form of narcotics is terribly harmful for your body even if you are not pregnant. So abusing your system with drugs during pregnancy can have a high rate of problems.

The malformations and underdevelopment of the baby’s organs and other body parts can be largely attributed to drugs. Even when taking certain prescription medication when you are pregnant can have dire effects. It is always advisable to let your treating physician know you are pregnant before he gives you any medicines.

Since you are so prone to so many diseases, ailments and other severe conditions it is absolutely necessary to take proper rest, make routine trips to your Ob-Gyn for check-ups and having a healthy diet will also ensure your health and that of the baby.

There are some exercises you can do as well to stay healthy and active. Reading up on as much material as you can will give you perspective and will make you aware of what is going on within you at every step and what are the bad and questionable practices you can avoid to reduce the risk of complications.

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