Folic Acid During Pregnancy

Some women may need folic acid (a term used interchangeably with folate) in addition to prenatal vitamins. Deficiency in folic acid can result in a type of anemia called megaloblastic anemia. Additional folate may be necessary for situations in which pregnancy requirements are unusually high, such as a pregnancy with twins or triplets, alcoholism or Crohn's disease.
Prenatal vitamins have 0.8 to 1 mg of folic acid in each dose, sufficient for a woman with a normal pregnancy. Most women do not need extra folic acid during pregnancy.

A neural-tube defect called spina bifida afflicts nearly 4,000 babies born in the United States every year. It develops in the first few weeks of pregnancy, when the fetus is highly susceptible to some substances or to the lack of them. Research has proved that nearly 75% of all cases of spina bifida can be prevented if the mother takes 0.4 milligrams of folic acid a day, beginning 3 or 4 months before pregnancy. Folic acid for this purpose is required only through the first 13 weeks of pregnancy.

If a woman gives birth to a baby with spina bifida, she may need extra folic acid in subsequent pregnancies to reduce her chances of having another baby with the same problem. Some researchers now recommend that all women of childbearing age take 0.4 milligrams of folic acid a day, in hopes of significantly decreasing the chances of this serious problem.
Folic acid is in a variety of foods. Today, many cereals and bread products are fortified with folic acid. Although it is sometimes difficult to get enough folic acid through food intake alone, a varied diet can help you reach this goal. Common foods that contain folic acid are listed below.
Getting enough folic acid (vitamin B9) is usually not a problem for vegetarians. Folic acid is found in many fruits, legumes and vegetables (especially dark leafy ones).

Eating a breakfast of 1 cup of fortified cereal, with milk, and a glass of orange juice supplies about half of your daily requirement of folic acid.