Folic Acid and Pregnancy

Many expectant parents are learning the many benefits that folic acid plays in pregnancy. It is estimated by the Centers for Disease Control that as many as 3000 births annually have NTD's or neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, but these defects can be totally eliminated if mothers take folic acid before their conception and during the course of their pregnancy.

Doctors are becoming more educated on the effects of supplementing with folic acid. Doing so results in healthier births, and eliminates the NTD's from occurring. Unfortunately, many women do not see how folic acid, which is a B vitamin, can help with their pregnancies. It is vital to speak to your doctor about this important vitamin if you are planning to begin a family.

What is folic acid? It helps in the division of the cells in the body, including the red blood cells. It is found in many foods, but is also available in supplementation forms and via prescription. When taking folic acid during pregnancy, the vitamin helps with the neural tube and this is needed for the brain and spinal cord development. If there is a lack of folic acid, the neural tube often will not close and this can lead to problems such as spina bifida.

Spina bifida happens when the spinal cord sac fills with fluid bulges through an opening in the back. Another condition that can occur without folic acid supplementation is anencephaly, which typically means the babies do not live long and those born with spina bifida are disabled.

Interestingly, when women take folic acid before they become pregnant as well as during their pregnancy, there were less birth defects reported such as cleft palate, reduced incidences of high-blood pressure due to pregnancy, miscarriages, low birth weights, and problems with growth in the womb.

So often people want to pop a pill to make everything okay, but often they fail to realize that certain vitamins are needed to ensure healthy pregnancies and without them, it can lead to unnecessary birth defects, which the child must endure, not to mention the parents. Therefore, if you are planning to become pregnant, talk to your doctor about starting a supplementation of folic acid, it is never too early to start the treatment when you know you want to have children. The prescription form of folic acid may be needed for specific pregnancies, but many women are helped by simply supplementing with the vitamin.

Folic acid is cheap to purchase and is available at any drug store, but be sure to speak to your doctor about the amount you need to ensure your baby is healthy during pregnancy and they you do not suffer from high-blood pressure.

Finally, babies born with birth defects and other conditions that lead to dead or permanent disability can be prevented in most cases by simply taking folic acid. Be sure you do some research on this very vital vitamin because it has the potential to ensure you have a happy and healthy baby.