Folic Acid Helps Prevent Malformations In The Fetus
When a woman becomes pregnant, she wants only the best for her baby. The only thing that matters to him is your health, and for this he does not hesitate to undergo many tests. Fortunately, there are items that help prevent certain problems. One of them is vitamin B9, also known as folic acid.
For several years, hundreds of institutions have recommended taking folic acid. One of them, The World Health Organization, points out that it helps prevent malformations in the future baby.
There are a whole series of myths in relation to the class of elements that can or cannot be taken during pregnancy. There may have been problems in the past, but today things have changed.
The intake of this acid helps the correct development of the child’s spine. It prevents the appearance of certain anomalies, such as spina bifida . It reduces the risk of the child suffering from a cleft lip, cleft palate and some serious congenital heart diseases.
Remember that to start taking folic acid you need to talk to your doctor first. He will tell you the time and the amounts. It is important to know that this supplement should be ingested before pregnancy and during the pregnancy process.
Experts indicate that a pregnant woman should take about 600 milligrams a day. Although the doses of intake vary from woman to woman, those who are more at risk of having a child with spina bifida should take higher doses.
Vitamin helps create new cells
Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin from the complex of B vitamins that is responsible for helping the body to create new cells. In turn, it helps prevent a number of diseases classified as neural tube defects, including spina bifida and anencephaly.
Other media such as The Journal of the American Medical Association have published a series of research related to its benefits. They state that there is evidence that these supplements are associated with a lower risk of other problems, such as language delay.
All pregnant women should take folic acid
All pregnant women, even those in good health, need to take folic acid. This serves to help the embryo develop favorably.
As already mentioned, the daily intake of this vitamin reduces the risk of the child having many problems. It also prevents other central nervous system defects, as well as heart disease, limb reductions, and other birth defects.
Where to find it?
Folic acid is found in many foods , such as vegetables, fruits, legumes, prepared cereals, and milk.
It is also present in other foods, although in lesser amounts, such as those that are rich in carbohydrates, such as bread or pasta. In this sense, it is important to note that the consumption of these foods does not exempt from taking the supplements prescribed by the doctor.
In addition, these doses of folic acid have been shown to produce no adverse effects. They can be ingested for years without there being any risk to the person who is taking it.
It has recently been shown that those who maintain a diet rich in folic acid, especially women, have better cardiovascular health; that is, they are more protected.
This supplement reduces the risk of neural tube defects
Folic acid supplementation in the periconceptual period can prevent neural tube defects.
Currently around 500,000 children worldwide are born with birth defects. Those who suffer from this type of malformation can have learning problems. Other more serious ones include urinary incontinence, digestive disorders and mental retardation.
The aim is to reduce by 70% the defects that the fetus may suffer. In addition, it prevents anemia and repairs and protects the functioning of cells and DNA.
