You Absolutely Need Folic Acid When You’re Pregnant

Reviewed May 2022

If you are trying to conceive or are in the early stages of pregnancy you might be wondering what vitamins and supplements you need to be taking to have a healthy pregnancy. 

One of those all-important ones you might have heard about is folic acid. But why do you need folic acid? Where can you get it and how much folic acid should you be getting? 

To give you a quick idea of the importance of folic acid for your baby, folic acid helps to prevent something called neural tube defects (or NTDs) such as spina bifida, which impact around 3,000 pregnancies in the US every year, or around 8 in every 1,000 births. Some studies show that if every woman took a folic acid supplement every day before getting pregnant and during early pregnancy, up to 70% of NTDs could be prevented.

Here, we’re breaking down everything you need to know about folic acid before and during pregnancy. 

Find out the other essential nutrients you need before and during pregnancy in our post, The Nutrients That Should Be In Your Prenatal Vitamin. 

What is folic acid for?

Folic acid is a man-made B vitamin that maintains healthy cell growth and development throughout the body. You might have heard of its natural form, folate.

It’s thought that folic acid helps to boost good heart health by improving blood flow, and research shows that taking supplements can help regulate high blood pressure and reduce the risk of heart disease (pretty cool right?!).

Why is folic acid important during pregnancy? 

Folic acid is critical for baby’s development and, as we mentioned earlier, it’s most commonly known for its ability to help prevent birth defects of the brain and spine called NTDs. 

The neural tube develops around one month after conception and folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin meaning the body doesn’t store it and needs a regular supply. Therefore, it’s important to get enough folic acid regularly before becoming pregnant and within the first few weeks after conception to help prevent NTDs. 

Folic acid also has some incredible benefits for mama’s health too and can help to reduce the risk of pregnancy-related complications such as preeclampsia and preterm birth!

Where can I get folic acid from? 

Apart from supplements, folate is found naturally in many foods, and some high-folate foods include Brussels sprouts, asparagus, avocados, broccoli, and leafy greens like spinach. You can also get folate from lentils, pinto beans, black beans, peanuts, and even citrus fruits like oranges and grapefruits. 

In the US, some common food staples fortified with folic acid are flour, bread, cereals, pasta, and white rice. Folic acid can be found in the same foods in the UK and it was also recently announced that folic acid will now be added to non-wholemeal wheat flour across the UK too!

Baby2Body Science Deep Dive

Which is better, folate or folic acid?

Well, they are both forms of vitamin B9; folate is the natural form, while folic acid is a synthetic form. Whilst it is generally thought that it's best to get vitamin B9 from whole foods when you can, for some people, including pregnant women, folic acid supplements ensure you are getting enough vitamin B9.

If I eat a balanced diet with lots of folate-rich foods, do I need to take folic acid while pregnant?

In short, yes. Whilst a healthy, balanced diet should get you most of the vitamins and minerals you need for a healthy pregnancy, it can be hard to get enough folic acid from food alone. 

Typically, it’s recommended that when trying to conceive, women should take a supplement that has 400 micrograms of folic acid in it every day. During early pregnancy, women should take a daily prenatal vitamin that has 600 micrograms of folic acid.

This isn’t a one-size-fits-all number though and you should talk with your health care provider about how much folic acid you need during your pregnancy. Women whose babies are at a higher risk of NTDs may be prescribed higher levels of folic acid. 

If you’ve found results from clinical trials that prove other multivitamins or different levels of folic acid to be beneficial, keep in mind that some of the results may not apply to you, as the trials could have been taken in foreign countries, under different circumstances and various environmental pressures. When it comes to multivitamins and supplements, make sure to read labels carefully, consult with your doctor, and be empowered by what you've learned to make informed decisions that are best for your unique situation.

Want to know more about prenatal vitamins? Leave us a comment and let us know which vitamin you want to hear about next!

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