Why folic acid
Folic acid (vitamin B9) is one of the few vitamins you do not always get enough of, and that holds when you are hoping to conceive too. It is needed for growth and for the body to work properly, and for making white and red blood cells. Folic acid also matters for the early development of the unborn child: it reduces the chance of neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
How much and when
If you want to become pregnant, take 400 to 500 micrograms of folic acid a day, whatever amount you already get from your food. It takes about 4 weeks for your body to build up enough, so start at least 4 weeks before conception and carry on until you are 10 weeks pregnant. Taking it for longer does no harm.
Already pregnant and not yet taking folic acid? Then start now.
In a few situations the advice is different. If you have had a child with a neural tube defect such as spina bifida, or if you have epilepsy, a higher dose may be needed. If you take extra vitamin B12 on prescription, extra folic acid is not always sensible. Talk it over with us or with your family doctor in those cases.
Where to buy it
Folic acid tablets and multivitamins for pregnant women are available without prescription from the pharmacy or the chemist. Such a multivitamin is a good alternative: it contains enough folic acid, and you can take it throughout the pregnancy.
Would you like to know more? See www.strakszwangerworden.nl (in Dutch).