Folate (Folic Acid)
Your baby’s brain and spinal cord form before you even know you are pregnant. Folate is needed to help your baby’s brain and spinal cord form properly. That is why it is recommended that all women who could get pregnant (any young woman who is having sex) take a multivitamin pill with 0.4mg of folic acid in it everyday. This way, in case you get pregnant unexpectedly or when you do get pregnant, you know you are getting enough folate.
Folate is also very important during pregnancy. It helps make new cells in your body.
There are also foods that have a lot of folate. All women should eat these in addition to taking their vitamin pill with folic acid.
Here are some foods that have lots of folate:
- Spinach
- Broccoli
- Green peas
- Green beans
- Romaine lettuce
- Corn
- Oranges
- 100% pure orange juice
- Grapefruit
- 100% pure grapefruit juice
- Canned baked beans
- Sunflower seeds
- Seaweed
Bottom Line:
Before getting pregnant, during pregnancy or while breastfeeding, all women should take a vitamin pill with folic acid (0.4mg) everyday. If you are taking your prenatal vitamin then that is enough and you don’t need to take more (unless it is prescribed by your Nurse, Doctor, Midwife or Nutritionist).
If you are not taking folic acid, talk to your Nurse, Doctor, Midwife or Nutritionist about taking it.