Vitamins For Woman

Folic Acid and Pregnancy: How Much Is Enough?

margaret etudo

Medically Reviewed By Margaret Etudo, BPharm. Written By The Vitamins For Woman Team.

What is folic acid? Why is it essential for pregnancy? This article will answer some of your questions about folic acid.

Folic acid and pregnancy

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Pregnancy is a critical period of growth and transformation for you and your baby. If you want a healthy baby, you must be healthy too. This means that you need the macro and micro-nutrients in the right proportion.

Folic acid or folate is one of the most essential nutrients you should look out for during this period. Insufficient amounts of folic acid can lead to complications and cause malformation in your baby’s development. 

In this article, we will examine folic acid, when and how much to take, its benefits, and unique folic acid-rich foods. Want to see our top three recommendations? Skip to the end of this article to learn the right one for you. 

What Is Folic Acid? 

Folic acid is the synthetic form of the essential B vitamin (B9) found in prenatal vitamins. It is responsible for DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid) synthesis and replication. It plays an even more critical role during pregnancy in your baby’s growth and development. You can get folic acid from diet or prenatal vitamins because your body cannot produce it. 

Folic acid deficiency is linked to several complications:

  • Maternal anemia 
  • Peripheral neuropathy 
  • Malformations in fetal growth, such as cleft lip, cleft palate, neural tube, and congenital heart defects 

When Should I Start Taking Folic Acid?

You can start taking folic acid at least four weeks before planning to conceive. As for prenatal vitamins, take them with folic acid throughout pregnancy, especially in the first trimester

Your baby’s neural tube forms and develops into the brain and spinal cord in the first 3-4 weeks after you conceive. This occurs before most women find out that they are pregnant. Eating a diet rich in folate daily helps protect your baby from congenital malformations and reduces your risk of miscarriage.

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), women of childbearing age should take folic acid whether she wants to get pregnant or not. Folic acid supports the production of new cells.   

How Much Folic Acid Should I Take?

The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommends at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily. 

If you have had a child with a congenital malformation, your doctor may prescribe a much higher daily dose of folic acid. CDC recommends that these women take 4,000 mcg of folic acid daily one month before getting pregnant and through the first 3 months of pregnancy. This is because you are at greater risk of having further children with a congenital malformation.

Check your prenatal vitamin’s leaflet or drug information to ensure it contains at least 600 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid. Based on your medical history, you can consult your doctor for personalized advice. 

What Are the Benefits of Folic Acid?

Here are some benefits of prenatal vitamins with folic acid:

  • Aids the development of the placenta in the early stages of pregnancy
  • Supports the growth and development of your baby’s organs, tissues and nervous system
  • Boosts the production of healthy red blood cells, thereby preventing maternal anaemia and megaloblastic anaemia in your baby
  • Lowers homocysteine levels and reduces the risk of neural tube defects (NTDs) and other congenital malformations, e.g. spina bifida, anencephaly, cleft lip, cleft palate, heart defects, etc. 
  • Decrease the risk of miscarriage, fetal anaemia, premature birth and low birth weight.
  • Supports protein metabolism with vitamins B12 and C 

Good Food Sources of Folic Acid

Prenatal vitamins supply the right amount of folic acid your body needs. However, you must incorporate folate-rich foods into your diet. Here are some foods and their folate content (mcg): 

Food source  Folate content (mcg)
Spinach, raw, 1 cup  58
Broccoli, raw, 1 cup   49
Beans, 1 cup  181 
Lentils, 1 cup  358
Avocados, 1 ounce  58
Beef liver, 3 ounces   212
Bananas, 1 medium   24
Orange, 1 whole  55
Egg, 1 hard-boiled  22

Table showing good food sources of Folic Acid and the content of folate in each one

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) also requires manufacturers to add folic acid to their enriched grain products. These include cereals, breads, pastas, and rice. 

Top 3 Vitamins Containing Folic Acid 

In previously written articles, we compiled a list of the best prenatal vitamins and gummies. Here are our top 3 recommendations for the best prenatal vitamins with folic acid on the market: 

Final Thoughts For You

At Vitamins For Woman, we are committed to offering the best prenatal vitamins and supplements to provide proper nutrition during pregnancy. Every prenatal vitamin product is selected based on its health, safety, quality, and nutritional value.

This article provides proper guidance and knowledge on taking folic acid during pregnancy. Carefully review it for more information on the best product for you and your pregnancy. 

  1. Merrell BJ, McMurry JP. Folic acid. In: StatPearls. StatPearls Publishing; 2024. 
  2. Avram C, Bucur OM, Zazgyva A, Avram L, Ruta F. Vitamin supplementation in pre-pregnancy and pregnancy among women—effects and influencing factors in romania. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2022;19(14):8503. 
  3. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Folic acid
  4. De Wals P, Tairou F, Van Allen MI, et al. Reduction in neural-tube defects after folic acid fortification in Canada. N Engl J Med. 2007;357(2):135-142.
  5. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): Facts about neural tube defects
  6. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): What is Spina Bifida?  
  7. National Institutes of Health (NIH). (2023). Office of Dietary Supplements: Folate
  8. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central. 2019
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Ellie-May
Ellie-May
8 months ago

I just found out im pregnant and not sure about folic acid? When is the best time to start taking it? Thanks Vitamins For Woman for the info!

Tara99
Tara99
Reply to  Ellie-May
8 months ago

Congrats Ellie-May! Starting folic acid as soon as you find out or even before if you can is super important. It’s great for baby’s development early on.

HealthNerd
HealthNerd
Reply to  Ellie-May
8 months ago

To add on, it’s recommended to start taking folic acid at least four weeks before you plan to conceive. It’s crucial for preventing birth defects.

GrumpyDave
GrumpyDave
8 months ago

i dont understand why everythings about supplements now. didnt our grandmas have babies without all this fuss?

vitamin_lover
vitamin_lover
8 months ago

Prenatal vitamins are a game changer, especially with folic acid in them! Make sure you’re eating right too though, food sources are just as important.

Jake_the_snake
Jake_the_snake
8 months ago

If I start taking folic acid, does that mean I’ll get smarter too? my dna could use some fixing lol

SeriousSam
SeriousSam
8 months ago

It’s important to point out that while folic acid is crucial, too much of it can have negative effects as well. Always follow the recommended daily amount.

BeaHealthGuru
BeaHealthGuru
8 months ago

This article is spot on! Folic acid is so important for pregnancy. It’s amazing how much it contributes to the health of the baby. Thanks for sharing, Vitamins For Woman!

QueryQueen
QueryQueen
8 months ago

Can men benefit from folic acid too or is it just a pregnancy thing? Asking for a friend who’s into health stuff.

NutriFacts4U
NutriFacts4U
Reply to  QueryQueen
8 months ago

Folic acid is beneficial for everyone, not just pregnant women. It helps in the production of healthy red blood cells, which is important for men and women alike.

FoodFirst
FoodFirst
8 months ago

I think getting nutrients from food is always better than supplements. You can’t rely on pills for health. you gotta eat right.

TheSkepticalOne
TheSkepticalOne
8 months ago

everyone’s always pushing vitamins. how do we even know they work? seems like a lot of money for maybe no reason.

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margaret etudo

medically reviewed by margaret etudo, BPharm. written by the vitamins for woman team.

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