A folic acid deficency in a woman can have an effect not only on her, but on her unborn child as well.
When a womain is deficient in folate not only can spontaneous abortion occur, but the baby may not form correctly and could be born with defects such as neural tube defect.
Studies have shown that neural tube defects in a baby can be reduced by up to 80% if a woman begins taking folic acid before she falls pregnant. A folic acid defiency at this time is incredibly harmful to both mother and child, therefore the greatest of attention should be paid to consuming the correct amount of folic acid.
The benefits of consuming foods containing folic acid are well known. However most people are not aware of who exactly should be consuming folic acid regularly and more important, how much they require to allow it to have a positive effect on the body. Another factor that most people are not aware of is what foods contain folic acid and how certain foods can retain high levels of folate simply by altering the method of cooking.
What happens if you have too much folic acid? This is a question that pregnant women and women who are considering pregnancy often ask.
In actual fact, there is very little to worry about when it comes to consuming too much folic acid. Folic acid is in itself a water soluble vitamin. Therefore the body flushes out any excess. The only side effect of having too much folic acid, for a woman that is, is that it can mask a vitamin B12 deficiency. This can be a particular problem for vegetarians. Folic acid deficiency sufferers display some similar symptoms to anemia, so medical opinion should be sought immediately if you suspect you have a folic acid deficiency.
It is essential to consume food rich in folic acid whether you are becoming pregnant or are in the early stages of pregnancy. Even if you are not considering pregnancy, food rich in folic acid will provide you with health benefits anyway. These benefits are little known yet the rewards of eating food rich in folic acid make it a worthwhile mission to undertake.
Folic acid, or folate, a form of vitamin B which is found in a variety of foods or can be taken as supplements. Folic acid is extremely beneficial to women who are about to become pregnant, or who have just fallen pregnant.
A woman who intakes 0.4 milligrams per day of folic acid each day prior to pregnancy and in the first 2 months of pregnancy reduce the risk of birth defects in their baby.
Birth defects which may result when folic acid is not taken for pregnancy include neural tube defects, spina bifida, and other conditions including underdevelopment of the brain and abnormal formation of the brain.
