Question

Should All Women Be Taking Folic Acid?

Dr.Prof. & Hod Ganesh Shinde · Accepted Answer

Folic acid is an important form of vitamin B which women must take during pregnancy. It is a form of man-made vitamin B known as folate. Folate plays a significant role in producing red blood cells and helps in the development of your baby s neural tube into the brain and spinal cord, preventing any kind of birth defects in your baby. Birth defects of the brain or spinal cord may occur in early stages of pregnancy. Therefore, by the time a woman discovers her pregnancy, it may become too late to prevent the defects.
How much folic acid should be taken?
A woman should start taking folic acid within the first three to four weeks of pregnancy, as birth defects may occur during this time. Women who start taking folic acid a year before getting pregnant produce healthy babies without birth defects.
400 mcg of folic acid is the recommended dose for all women who are of childbearing age and also in the first trimester of pregnancy. Multivitamins with the recommended amount of folate and folic acid supplements are generally prescribed as they help the mother deliver a healthy child. From the fourth to ninth month of pregnancy, the dose must be increased to 600 mcg.
Benefits of Folic Acid-
Without sufficient folic acid in your body, the neural tube of your developing baby may not close properly. This may lead to neural tube defects, which include:
Spina bifida, a condition where the spinal cord or vertebrae develop incompletely. A baby with spina bifida may be disabled permanently.
Anencephaly, a condition that features incomplete development of the brain. Babies affected with anencephaly do not live long.
Having a sufficient supply of folic acid prevents these neural defects from developing in your baby.
Taking folic acid before and during pregnancy protects your baby against many other conditions. They include:
Cleft lip and palate.
Low weight during birth.
Chances of miscarriage.
Premature birth.
Folic acid also reduces the risk of developing pregnancy complications in the mother such as heart diseases, stroke, several cancers and Alzheimer s disease.
Folic acid is naturally found in dark-green vegetables, which you must consume in abundance. Other sources of folic acid include fortified breakfast cereals, beef liver, lentils, egg noodles and great northern beans.

Zocef-Cv 500 Tablet Health Feed

Should All Women Be Taking Folic Acid?

Homeopathic Medicine For Uric Acid!

Should All Women be Taking Folic Acid?

Acid Reflux - Know More About It!

Acid Reflux - What Should You Know?

I am an asthmatic. I have been taking Seroflo 250 inhaler or rotocaps puff once a day at bedtime for the past 7 years. But, of late I am having congestion in the lungs resulting in frequent cough and spitting. But, no wheezing. Kindly suggest remedies.

Is it safe to take Rapiclav 625 (amoxicillin and potassium clavulanate) during pregnancy.

My wife age 28 yrs. Cough problem before 7 months. Checkup from ggs medical hospital faridkot (tb & chest deptt.) and medicine dept. All test are clear. But medicine doctor told me amoxicillin 625 mg medicine and syrup. please help to my wife.

Is blumox tablets and aug choice 625 equal in composition and are they used for same purpose?

My mother khasi bahut diabetic and kidney minor problem .take antibiotic clavam 625 and grilinctus syrup dx but not cure. Please take suggestion.