Categories Stages of pregnancy

Folic acid before pregnancy

Folic acid before pregnancy

Folic acid

Folic acid or folate is a form of vitamin B that is soluble in water. Folic acid is found naturally in foods such as leafy vegetables, okra, fruit such as bananas, melons, legumes, mushrooms, and also in the form of tablets or injections. People need to take folic acid for their high importance to the body, and are increasingly needed in pregnant women, or those who are contemplating pregnancy, for their role in preventing abortion and protecting the fetus from certain birth defects.

Sources of folic acid

Folic acid is found in the following foods:

  • Grilled potatoes.
  • asparagus.
  • Yeast.
  • Broccoli.
  • Lettuce, spinach.
  • Cabbage, cauliflower, white carrots.
  • yolk.
  • Seeds of sunflower seeds
  • Meat, kidneys, and liver.
  • Fruit, especially papaya, kiwi and oranges.
  • the milk.
  • Brussels sprouts sprouts.
  • Whole wheat bread.

Importance of folic acid

Folic acid is a vitamin that has great benefits to the human body, including:

  • Promotes heart health and supports the production of healthy and healthy red blood cells.
  • Reduces age-related disorders such as hearing loss.
  • It has a role in manufacturing and repairing DNA of both types, DNA and RNA.
  • Promotes cell division and promotes growth.
  • Treatment of hair loss.
  • Reduces levels of amino acid homocysteine ​​which causes serious kidney disease, heart disease, and stroke.
  • Limits the adverse effects of a drug called methotrexate, such as nausea and vomiting.
  • Eating folic acid daily for at least six weeks reduces blood pressure in people with high blood pressure.
  • Applying folic acid to the gums may improve gum problems during pregnancy.
  • Taking oral folic acid may improve the symptoms of vitiligo.
  • There are studies that need further evidence of the role of folic acid in the following cases:
    • Prevention of Alzheimer’s disease.
    • Taking folic acid in addition to vitamin B6 and vitamin B12 may prevent re-occlusion of blood vessels after use of vasodilatator.
    • Promote the work of drugs to treat bipolar disorder (manic depression).
    • Improving the mental functioning of older persons.
    • Reduces the risk of colorectal cancer.
    • Reduces the risk of stomach and esophageal cancer.
    • Reduces the risk of gout.
    • Folic acid intake, in addition to zinc sulphate per day, can increase the number of sperm in men.
    • Limits the symptoms of restless legs syndrome (disorder in the part of the nervous system causes the legs to move during sleep, and is considered sleep disorders).

Importance of folic acid before pregnancy

Doctors who are interested in pregnancy are advised to take supplements Folic acid At least one month before conception, and continued for the first three months of pregnancy. Women of reproductive age are advised to have 400 micrograms of folic acid daily even if they do not want to conceive. Pregnant women should take at least 600 micrograms a day for their benefits. The doctor may recommend additional folic acid supplements in some cases, such as pregnancy with twins, or increasing the weight of the mother, making her fetus more susceptible to congenital malformations. The benefits of taking folic acid before and during pregnancy include:

  • Reduces the risk of neural tube defects for the fetus, a part that will later develop to be the brain and spine, by up to 70%.
  • Supports the rapid growth of placenta and fetal cells.
  • Promotes the production of natural red blood cells and the prevention of anemia.
  • Reduces the likelihood of having children with cleft lip and cleft palate.
  • Reduces the risk of heart abnormalities.
  • Reduces the risk of preeclampsia.

Causes of folic acid deficiency

Causes of folic acid deficiency include:

  • Infection disorders such as gastrointestinal disease, also called abdominal disease, inflammatory bowel disease, bacillus, vitamin C deficiency, liver disease, gonorrhea, .
  • Do not eat enough folic acid-rich foods.
  • Aging.
  • Malnutrition, and poor appetite.
  • Alcohol consumption.
  • The incidence of diseases causing folic acid secretion with urine, including congestive heart failure, acute liver damage.
  • Eat some types of drugs that aggravate folic acid deficiency.
  • Some genetic disorders lead to dysfunction in the folic acid transport and absorption in the small intestine.

Symptoms Of Folic Acid Deficiency

Symptoms of folic acid deficiency include:

  • Tongue swelling and redness.
  • Graying hair.
  • Mouth ulcers.
  • Growth Disorder.
  • Feeling tired.
  • Indigestion.
  • Change in bowel movement, often suffering from diarrhea.
  • Anemia, and its symptoms:
    • Leg pain, intermittent limp.
    • Excessive irritability.
    • Persistent feeling sleepy.
    • Continuous fatigue.
    • Pale skin.
    • Constant feeling of weakness.
    • Shortness of breath.
    • Headaches.

Contraindications

Before taking folic acid, you should be sure that there is no sensitivity to it. You should also consult your doctor and perform the necessary tests before taking it in the following cases:

  • The incidence of various kidney diseases.
  • Do dialysis.
  • Hemolytic anemia (caused by red blood cell fracture).
  • Malignant anemia.
  • Anemia, which has been proven by laboratory tests, has not been diagnosed by the doctor.
  • Infection.
  • Addiction to alcohol.

side effects

Side effects that an individual may experience when taking folic acid include:

  • Anorexia.
  • Sleep disorders.
  • nausea.
  • Gases in the abdomen.
  • Feeling depressed.
  • Strange taste in the mouth.
  • Eating very high doses of folic acid may increase the risk of colon or rectal cancer.
  • diarrhea.
  • rash.

Check folic acid

To diagnose folic acid deficiency in the blood, a blood sample is used to measure the amount of folic acid. The amount of folic acid can be measured in two ways. The first is to examine the amount of folic acid in the liquid part of the blood (plasma). The second method, Folic acid in red blood cells may indicate a high amount of folic acid in the blood on the vitamin B12 deficiency needed to promote the consumption of folate cells, leading to accumulation in the blood, or may be the result of eating a meal rich in folic acid, Before the examination, the following are the results Normal to the level of folic acid in the blood:

  • Natural results for measuring the level of folic acid in plasma blood:
    • 13-3 ng / mL in adults.
    • 21-5 ng / mL for children.
  • Natural results for measuring the level of folic acid in red blood cells:
    • 140 – 680 ng / mL in adults.
    • More than 160 ng / mL in children.