Folic acid before conception and during pregnancy

By Cristiano Antonino On Mar 19, 2023

Folic acid is a vitamin that is normally introduced into the body through certain types of food such as: spinach, broccoli, asparagus, artichokes, lettuce, cabbage, eggs, beans, chickpeas, lentils, peas, as well as nuts such as walnuts, almonds and hazelnuts

What folic acid is needed for

Folic acid is essential for the formation of DNA and cell proteins, particularly those in blood and embryonic cells, which is why its intake during pregnancy is particularly important.

A deficiency of it, particularly in the first eight weeks of pregnancy, increases the risk of serious congenital malformations in the baby, such as:

spina bifida, characterised by the failure of the neural tube to close, which causes paralysis of the lower limbs, bladder problems and hydrocephalus, i.e. an increase in the amount of fluid in the brain;
anencephaly, i.e. the absence of parts or all of the brain that is incompatible with life.

Folic acid daily dose

The amount of folic acid that we take in daily through our diet, even if we eat all kinds of food containing it, is not sufficient for the prevention of these malformations.

It is therefore necessary to supplement this deficiency by taking one tablet a day of at least 0.4 mg of folic acid, starting before conception occurs.

Folic acid before pregnancy

Malformative events occur in the very early stages of embryonic development, before the woman even realises she is pregnant.

It follows from this that in order to optimally reduce the risk of these malformations occurring, taking 0.4 mg of folic acid a day must begin before conception, whether one is planning a pregnancy or if one is not planning a pregnancy but is not using safe contraceptive methods, and there is therefore the possibility of finding oneself unexpectedly expecting a baby.

It is therefore necessary for women to be more aware of the need to start taking this vitamin before becoming pregnant and during the first weeks of pregnancy.

Doctors first need to spread this message, when they find themselves visiting a young woman for various reasons who wishes to become pregnant or who is not using a safe form of contraception, by urging her to take a pre-conception supplement of folic acid in the correct daily dose and to adopt a correct diet and lifestyle aimed at protecting the health of the mother-to-be and the baby to be born.

Nor should we forget the importance of pre-conception counselling, an in-depth interview of the couple with the gynaecologist aimed at identifying possible risk factors in the future parents, in order to reduce or eliminate them where possible, to protect the health of the baby to be born.

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