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Taking folic acid before pregnancy. Video
During pregnancy, the female body experiences increased stress, and therefore especially urgently needs trace elements and vitamins. It is better to start taking some of them, in particular vitamin E and folic acid, already at the planning stage of the child.
Taking folic acid before pregnancy
Preparing for pregnancy: taking folic acid
Folic acid, or vitamin B9, takes part in the metabolism and the process of hematopoiesis. It is found in foods such as beef liver, green vegetables, wholemeal bread and citrus fruits, but it breaks down quickly during cooking. During pregnancy, folic acid is involved in the formation of the neural tube and other organs and systems of the fetus, and therefore vitamin deficiency can lead to fatal consequences, in particular:
- to congenital abnormalities of fetal development
- to a frozen pregnancy
- to the threat of termination of pregnancy and even miscarriage
To avoid complications while carrying a child, you should start taking the vitamin at least three months before the intended conception. The optimal daily dosage is 3 mg, that is, three tablets. You should not drink them at once, but distribute them into two or three equal doses. Folic acid is best absorbed after a meal. Continue therapy should be at least until the end of the first trimester.
In the month of intended conception, the dosage of folic acid can be increased by taking complex multivitamins for pregnant women. They should be drunk until the very birth in the amount prescribed by the doctor.
The benefits and dosage of vitamin E during pregnancy planning
Vitamin E, or tocopherol, is a powerful antioxidant and immune stimulant. In addition, it improves the condition of the female reproductive system, and therefore is necessary during pregnancy and at the stage of planning a child. You should start taking vitamin E, like folic acid, three months before the expected conception.
The optimal daily dosage depends on the woman’s health status. In the absence of gynecological problems, three capsules per day (100 mg each), distributed over three doses, will be sufficient. In case of reproductive disorders or a complicated gynecological history, the daily dosage can be doubled. Vitamin E should be taken as directed by a doctor until the very birth.
Vitamin E can also be obtained from food. In particular, it is found in large quantities in vegetable oils, wheat germ, nuts, eggs and oily fish. Since an overdose of tocopherol is extremely rare, it will not be superfluous to include these products in the diet in addition to pills at the planning and gestation stages.
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