During pregnancy, women follow special nutritional guidelines to help ensure good health for both the mother and the baby. One important nutrient to have during this time is folic acid. Although folic acid is included in prenatal multivitamin supplement and some complete multivitamin supplements, your physician may recommend that you also increase the amount of folic acid that you consume through your diet.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, or vitamin B-9. Folate is a water-soluble vitamin that can be found in certain foods and taken under the name folic acid in supplement form. Folic acid helps to produce cells. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, folic acid is important for the proper formation of the fetus's spine during pregnancy.
Folate Sources
Most green leafy vegetables, dried beans , peas and fruits contain folate. According to the Office of Dietary Supplements, the FDA has passed regulations that require the addition of folic acid to enriched breads, cereals, flour, cornmeal, pasta, rice and other grain products. Foods with large amounts of folate include breakfast cereals containing 100 percent of the recommended dietary allowance, or RDA, per 0.75 cup serving, and 3 oz. of cooked beef liver containing 45 percent of the RDA of folic acid. Foods that contain 25 percent of the daily value of folic acid are .5 cup of cooked black-eyed peas, frozen spinach, and breakfast cereal fortified with 25 percent of the daily value.
Recommended Dietary Allowance
The RDA of folic acid for adult women is 400 mcg per day. However, that increases to 600 mcg during pregnancy, then reduces to 500 mcg per day for lactating women. In order to meet this requirement, your physician may require that you take folic acid supplements in addition to increasing folic acid in your diet.
Considerations
Do not substitute folic acid supplements for increasing folic acid in your diet. It may be difficult for some to eat the amount of food that it takes to meet the daily requirements for folate. Your physician will tell you take a prenatal vitamin that contains the RDA of folic acid for pregnant women.
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