Folic acid and iron are two micronutrients needed in small quantities daily. Folic acid is also known as vitamin B-9. It helps in the synthesis of DNA and the normal growth of cells. Iron is an inorganic mineral that also plays an important biological role in the transport of oxygen through your blood and the development of your nervous system. Anybody can benefit from iron and folic acid, especially if you feel that you need more in your diet, but evidence indicates that supplementation will help unborn babies the most.
Research
A 2010 study published in the "Journal of the American Medical Association" suggests that pregnant women may benefit from folic acid and iron supplements by improving the brain function in young developing children. Parul Christian, an expert in international health, and a group of colleagues from John Hopkins University studied 676 school-age children in rural Nepal whose mothers had joined a clinical trial previously in which they received iron and folic acid supplements. About 80 percent of these children were between the ages of 7 and 9. The researchers noticed significant improvements in intelligence and organizational and fine motor skills, which presage a large effect on their educational futures.
Deficiencies
Iron deficiency is the most common nutritional disorder in the world, affecting 2 billion people, according to the World Health Organization. If an iron deficiency arises in the early developmental years, it can interfere with nerve biochemistry, metabolism and growth. This encumbers both intellectual and fine motor skills during school age. The consequences of folic acid deficiency are also wide-ranging and may cause neural tube and brain defects for a child during pregnancy.
Supplementation
According to Christian, children in poor communities would benefit the most from better designed prenatal programs that include low-cost nutritional supplements. This is particularly significant on the population level. However, some neural problems can show up before a woman realizes that she's even pregnant. To that end, the U.S. Public Health Service recommends that all women capable of becoming pregnant consume at least 400 mcg of folic acid per day. In areas of the world without heavy fortification, this may be difficult. In the developed world, the risks of early defects are much rarer.
Compatability
Folic acid and iron are already present in many of the same foods, such as leafy green vegetables and beans, so it appears to be a healthy, natural combination with few obvious side effects. The Food and Drug Administration also mandates that manufacturers must add 1.4 mg of folic acid per kilogram of refined grain products, which are already enriched with iron.
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