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All About Women

A patient-centered practice for all stages of a woman's life

Gainesville, FL (352) 331-3332
6440 W Newberry Rd, Ste 111

Lake City, FL (386) 754-1744
4447 NW American Ln, Ste 102

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Blog / Pregnancy & Prenatal Care / Why is Folic Acid Recommended for Pregnancy?

Why is Folic Acid Recommended for Pregnancy?

January 29, 2021 By Liliana Zapien

folic acid benefits

If you’re thinking about becoming pregnant or are already pregnant, you’ve probably heard folks say “Take your folic acid!” numerous times.

But why, exactly, is folic acid so important for pregnancy and prenatal care?

Let’s take a look at the benefits of folic acid and where you can get it.

What is folic acid?

The Centers for Disease Control & Prevention recommends that all women who are thinking of becoming pregnant, are pregnant or breastfeeding to take at least 400-600mcg (micrograms) of folic acid daily.

Folic acid is a B vitamin that is a man-made version of folate. Folate is the natural form that is found in certain foods. It’s an important nutrient for red blood cell production.

Benefits of folic acid for your unborn baby

Folic acid is essential for pregnant women to take every day because it helps to minimize the risk of certain birth defects in unborn babies. Folic acid is important for brain and spinal cord development, especially the neural tube when a fetus is first developing. If the neural tube doesn’t develop correctly in the womb, the baby could end up having spina bifida or anencephaly.

Can I get folic acid from foods, or do I have to take a supplement?

Folate is found in several different kinds of foods, such as leafy green vegetables, citrus fruits and whole grains. There are also a lot of breakfast cereals, rice and kinds of pasta that are labeled “enriched” or “fortified” that have added folic acid in them.

While you can get quite a bit of folic acid in the foods you eat, it’s often not enough to meet the recommended daily amount of folic acid for pregnancy. Many experts recommend taking a folic acid supplement or finding a prenatal vitamin that contains enough folic acid.

Is there such a thing as too much folic acid?

You can’t overdose on natural folate, so you can basically eat citrus fruits and leafy greens for every meal and never have an issue. You can, however, get too much man-made folic acid. If you take too many supplements or eat too much “enriched” food, it’s possible to overload your body with folic acid.

If you take too much folic acid, the most common side effects are stomach and intestinal issues such as cramps, diarrhea, gas, nausea and upset stomach. You can also experience confusion, irritability and sleep problems.

Talk to your doctor about what’s best for you

If you’re thinking about becoming pregnant or are already pregnant, talk to your doctor about how much folic acid you need and what type of folic acid supplement will be most beneficial for you and your baby.

If possible, you may want to start taking folic acid daily before you get pregnant so it can build up in your system and combat those birth defects.

Schedule an appointment with a caring and experienced All About Women obstetrician today at our Gainesville or Lake City offices.

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Contact Us With Any Questions

All About Women Obstetrics and Gynecology – Gainesville

Gainesville
6440 W Newberry Rd, Ste 111
Gainesville, FL 32605
(352) 331-3332


All About Women Obstetrics and Gynecology – Lake Cit

Lake City
4447 NW American Ln, Ste 102
Lake City, FL 32055
(386) 754-1744


 

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Gainesville and Lake City OB/GYN Care
OB/GYN doctors at All About Women, Obstetrics & Gynecology offer personalized, technologically advanced obstetrics and gynecology services from Board Certified OB/GYB physicians. Besides expert women's healthcare, permanent birth control and prenatal care, OB/GYN doctors also offers advanced hysterectomy surgery in and around the Gainesville area.


Women's Health Care in Alachua & Columbia Counties
With offices in Gainesville and Lake City, Florida, All About Women, M.D. provides expert OB/GYN services covering the entire range of women's healthcare needs. Our OB/GYN physicians and nurse midwives provide expert care during pregnancy as well as state of the art in-office treatments for gynecologic disorders including Novasure endometrial ablation to treat/stop heavy menstrual bleeding.


Personalized & Expert Prenatal Care
Gainesville obstetricians at All About Women, M.D. help ensure pregnancy goes as smoothly as possible by offering the best prenatal care available. And for those having difficulty getting pregnant, AAW obstetricians and gynecologists offer couples the best infertility help and treatment available.


Advanced Minimally Invasive Surgery: daVinci Surgical System
Clinic founder Dr. Anthony Agrios, Board Certified Obstetrician and Gynecologist also specializes in the daVinci Robotic surgery system, a minimally invasive option commonly used for a hysterectomy and other procedures. Instead of creating several small incisions like traditional surgical methods, OB/GYN surgeons simply open one incision with the daVinci system to complete the procedure. Not only do patients experience less pain and blood loss, they recover and get back to normal much faster.


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OB/GYN Tips: Choosing an OB/GYN : Robotic Hysterectomy

Infertility & Reproduction Health: Infertility Treatment : Permanent Birth Control

Women's Health: Preventive Care : Well Women Care : Mammogram Screenings : Abnormal Periods

Gainesville Maternity Care

 

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