Question 1

Why is folic acid so important?

Accepted Answer

All people who could become pregnant are at risk of having a baby born with a defect in the brain, skull or spine. These serious birth defects are called neural tube defects (NTDs).
NTDs happen in the early weeks of pregnancy when the neural tube (the part of the developing baby that will become the brain and spinal cord) doesn’t close properly.

Taking a multivitamin with folic acid in it every day before pregnancy can help to lower the risk of having a baby with these birth defects.

Learn more about folic acid and multivitamins during pregnancy.

Question 2

Why do I need to take a multivitamin with folic acid in it before pregnancy?

Accepted Answer

Taking a multivitamin with folic acid in it every day before pregnancy can help to lower the risk of having a baby born with a neural tube defect (NTD).

Folic acid is most important to the development of a baby in the early weeks of pregnancy. At this early stage, many people don’t know that they are pregnant. Starting your multivitamin at least 3 months prior to trying to have a baby helps to make sure that you have enough folic acid in the early weeks of pregnancy.

Taking a multivitamin with folic acid in it is recommended instead of taking folic acid as a single supplement.

Question 3

How much folic acid do I need?

Accepted Answer

For most people who could become pregnant, taking a multivitamin with 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid every day and eating healthy provides enough folic acid.
The label of the multivitamin will tell you the amount of folic acid or folate it has in it. Look for 'folic acid' or 'folate' on the label where the vitamins are listed.

Take a multivitamin with folic acid before pregnancy to help lower the risk of having a baby born with a neural tube defect.

Take the recommended daily dose of the multivitamin. More than the daily dose is not necessary and may give you too much of some vitamins and minerals. When taking multivitamin supplements, more is NOT better.

To help you to remember to take the multivitamin every day, set up a regular routine that works for you. For example, take your multivitamin when you brush your teeth in the morning.

A multivitamin supplement doesn’t take the place of a healthy, well balanced diet.

Talk with your health care provider about the amount of folic acid that’s right for you. You may need more folic acid if:

 	you’ve had one pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect (NTD)
 	you, your partner or a family member has a history of NTDs
 	you or your partner have a personal or family history of other folic acid-related birth defects

If you have a health condition or take certain medicines you may also need more folic acid. These conditions and medicines may include:

 	diabetes (type 1 or 2)
 	gastrointestinal conditions such as inflammatory bowel disease, Crohn disease; celiac disease; gastric bypass surgery; advanced liver disease
 	a larger body size (body mass index > 30 kg/m2)
 	Medicines including antiepileptic or other medicines that don’t allow folate to work properly in your body

Talk to your health care provider about the amount of folic acid that is right for you. You can also visit the Government of Canada site.

Question 4

Don’t I get enough folic acid from food?

Accepted Answer

It’s hard to get the amount of folic acid you need from food alone. The best way to get enough folic acid is:
Take a multivitamin that has 0.4 mg (400 mcg) folic acid in it every day.

AND

Include foods in your daily meals and snacks that naturally contain folate or are fortified with folic acid.

Examples of foods with folate include:

 	ready-to-eat cereals
 	enriched breads and pasta
 	dark green vegetables like peas, spinach, Brussels sprouts, broccoli and romaine lettuce
 	beans and lentils
 	citrus fruits like oranges

Question 5

What’s the difference between folate and folic acid?

Accepted Answer

Folic acid and folate describe one of the B vitamins that your body needs for good health.
Folate is what is naturally found in foods. Foods that naturally have folate in them include:

 	whole grain breads
 	dark green vegetables (e.g. broccoli, spinach, peas and brussels sprouts)
 	corn
 	dried peas, beans and lentils
 	citrus fruits and juices

Folic acid is added to foods (called fortification).

Foods that are fortified with folic acid include:

 	enriched bread
 	enriched pasta
 	most breakfast cereals
 	vitamins

Read food labels to find out if the food is fortified with folic acid.

Both 'folic acid' and 'folate' are the names that you will find on the label of a multivitamin that contains this B vitamin.

Folic Acid

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