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Folic Acid
What is folic acid?
Folic acid is a B vitamin. It is used in our bodies to make new cells. Everyone needs folic acid. But for women who can get pregnant, it is really important!
If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before she is pregnant, it can help prevent major birth defects of her baby’s brain and spine. Although, scientists are not sure how folic acid works to prevent birth defects, they do know that it is needed for making the cells that will form a baby’s brain, spine, organs, skin, and bones.
These birth defects are neural tube defects or NTDs. Women need to take folic acid every day, starting before they are pregnant to help prevent NTDs.
CDC and the U.S. Public Health Service urge every woman who could become pregnant to get 400 micrograms (400 mcg) of synthetic folic acid every day.
Efforts to encourage women to consume adequate folic acid in their childbearing years have not brought the desired results, according to a 1998 March of Dimes national survey more than 2,000 women between the ages of 18 and 45.
Although more women now know about the need for folic acid than did in 1995, "there has been no corresponding increase in the number of women taking multivitamins every day," according to the March of Dimes.
Researches show that 52 percent of women had heard about folic acid in 1995, 68 percent had heard about folic acid in 1998, 29 percent who are not currently pregnant take a multivitamin containing folic acid, 13 percent know folic acid helps prevent birth defects, and 7 percent know folic acid should be taken before birth.
How much is enough? Look for 100% DV (Daily Value)
One easy way a woman can be sure she is getting enough folic acid is to take a vitamin that has folic acid in it every day. Folic acid pills and most multivitamins sold in the United States have 100% of the daily value (DV) of folic acid; check the label to be sure. Another way to get enough is to eat a serving of breakfast cereal every day that has been enriched with 100% of the daily value of folic acid. Not every cereal has this amount. Check the label on the side of the box, and look for one that has “100%” next to folic acid.
When should a woman start taking folic acid?
Birth defects of a baby’s brain or spine happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman finds out that she is pregnant. All women should get in the habit of taking folic acid daily even when they are not planning to get pregnant. For folic acid to help, a woman needs to take every day, starting before she becomes pregnant.
Taking folic acid daily you help your body make healthy new cells daily. Think about your skin, hair, and nails. These—and other parts of your body—make new cells each day.
You might think that you can get all the folic acid and other vitamins you need from the food you eat each day. But it is hard to eat a diet that has all the nutrients you need every day. Even with careful planning, you might not get all the vitamins you need from your diet alone. That’s why it’s important to take a vitamin with folic acid every day.
Today’s woman is busy! You know that you should exercise, eat right, and get enough sleep. You might wonder how you can fit another thing into your day. But it only takes a few seconds to take a vitamin to get all the folic acid you need!
Make it easy to remember. Try taking a vitamin when you brush your teeth. Or take it with your morning coffee, after your shower, or when you brush your hair. Seeing the vitamin bottle on the bathroom or kitchen counter can help you remember it, too. If you have children, take your vitamin when they take theirs. That sets a good example!
You can get your vitamin with folic acid in one of several ways. You can take a multivitamin or a small, single supplement of folic acid. These days, multivitamins with folic acid come in chewable chocolate or fruit flavors, liquids, and large oval or smaller round pills. Many stores offer a single folic acid supplement for just pennies a day. Another good choice is a store brand multivitamin, which includes most of the vitamins you need each day. Unless your doctor suggests a special type, you do not need to choose among vitamins for women or active people, or even to go with a low carbohydrate diet. A basic multivitamin meets the needs of most women.
A single serving of many breakfast cereals also has the amount of folic acid that you need each day. Check the label! Look for cereals that have 100% daily value (DV) of folic acid in a serving.
Think back to when you were a child and you took your vitamin—how easy it was to chew up that fruit-flavored tablet in the fun shape of your favorite cartoon character. You may have been told: “Take your vitamin. It’s good for you.” Today, taking a vitamin with folic acid is just as easy—and just as good for you!
Once again, don’t forget, every woman needs folic acid for the healthy new cells her body makes every day . . . even if she is not planning to get pregnant.
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