Didn't take Folic acid and other vitamins

[MonstHer]

So hello.
I did not know i was pregnant until about two weeks ago and now I'm like 7 1/2 weeks pregnant. Also I was on bc and obviously wasn't trying.
Bottom line is that I never took any sort of vitamins or folic acid.
Does those mean horrible things will happen?
I eat really well naturally and am somewhat of a health freak anyway.
Besides from what I understand, people do not absorb as many nutrients from non-food sources as other people think.
So is this awful? I'm pretty worried about this.
I've already seen the heart beating on the ultrasound and I'm attached already. I don't want anything to happen.

 

[billlumbergh]

try not to worry too much, i was 6 weeks before i knew! the doc just said to start taking it right away, loads of women don't plan to get pregnant thus wouldn't be prepared and taking folic acid and nearly all have healthy babies!!! When i think of people i know who have beautiful babies/kids and what they were doing to themselves with drink/drugs and certainly not looking after themselves in preperation for a baby. You'll be fine

 

[LeeLouClare]

im in the same boat, baby wasn't planned. i hadn't taken folic acid.... didnt knew i had too, but im taking it now. my friend had an unplanned baby last year, she kept her baby secret till 24 weeks and never took folic acid, but the baby is beautiful.

 

[lynnikins]

hun its just for added benifit its not a case of something difinatly going wrong if you dont take them there is just a minorly higher risk but if your normally a healthy eater your already reducing that risk, just start taking your prenatals as soon as you can i didnt find out i was pregnant with ds1 till after 7wks

 

[Khadijah-x]

No of course not huni!
They just ease the risks Vitamins are great in development of brain cells, organ this and that LOL but not taking them dosnt mean anything bad will happen. Many havnt known about the pregnancy until late on. Folic acid just reduces the risk incase of spina bifida but if at 12 week all is okai, then your fine! xxxxxxx

Just start now (I hear they take a while to get in system thou) so start, and eat healthy, you couldnt of done anything else huni please dont beat yourself up about it xxxx

Folic acid is gained from certain things anyway like leafy greens etc so if your a health freak you prob been having folic without realising x

 

[bassdesire]

There are lots of people who eat a balanced, healthy diet who do not rely on prenatals at all. I took them last time and plan to take them this time, but couldn't even stomach to see them for about 2 weeks when I was constantly sick.

No worries!!

 

[BEG19]

In agreement with the previous ladies posts!

I have two daughters, and didn't start for either until after I found out - they are perfectly fine. Start now and relax and enjoy!!!

 

[MonstHer]

Wow, thanks ladies I feel so much better.
I guess I was not thinking of of drug addicts and such, or those who get no prenatal care.
I am relieved.
I think I may purchase organic ones though; I'm not all about this RED 40 dye nonsense in the ingredient list.

 

[2ndtimeluckyX]

My sister didn't find out she was preg till she was 5 months!! She now has the prettiest, smartest 10 year old I know! She is a real brainbox, god knows what she would have been like now had she taken the folic acid lol

 

[Blah11]

Just start now. Folic acid is very important as it minimises the risks of neural tube defects like spina bifida and water on the brain as well as things like cleft lips and defects of the heart, limbs etc. but you didn't know so obviously nothing can be done about it Women who are TTC usually take folic acid too

 

[queencarrie]

my eldest is 11 i never got told to take folic acid he's fine its a reletevely new thing they will change there minds about taking it soon mark my words
there are loads of things i did for the eldest they tell you not to do now i must admit im abit of a rebel and take things into my own hands wots good for 1 pregnancy is good for another
dont worry about it you will be fine

 

[Blah11]

my eldest is 11 i never got told to take folic acid he's fine its a reletevely new thing they will change there minds about taking it soon mark my words
there are loads of things i did for the eldest they tell you not to do now i must admit im abit of a rebel and take things into my own hands wots good for 1 pregnancy is good for another
dont worry about it you will be fine

No, they won't as it's scientifically proven. Sorry but that's disgusting that you'd risk your LO being born with a severe disability because you see yourself as 'a bit of a rebel'.
I apologise if you weren't referring to folic acid with that last sentence and TBH, I hope you weren't.

 

[billlumbergh]

I'll do what i need to do for the best possible health of my baby, i take my pregnacare duo every lunch time but you need to remember that women have been having healthy babies for thousands of years without taking supplements too! Granted there probably is a higher rate of spine abnormalities back in the day, but there wasn't childhood cancers etc. Theres always gonna be change in what's the best thing to do.

 

[julietz]

Hey dont worry i had twins and didnt even know until i was 4 months, they were absolutely fine, folic acid is just a precaution to prevent spinal bifia, i personally think its something inherited

 

[queencarrie]

my eldest is 11 i never got told to take folic acid he's fine its a reletevely new thing they will change there minds about taking it soon mark my words
there are loads of things i did for the eldest they tell you not to do now i must admit im abit of a rebel and take things into my own hands wots good for 1 pregnancy is good for another
dont worry about it you will be fine

No, they won't as it's scientifically proven. Sorry but that's disgusting that you'd risk your LO being born with a severe disability because you see yourself as 'a bit of a rebel'.
I apologise if you weren't referring to folic acid with that last sentence and TBH, I hope you weren't.

i was refering to alot of things midwifes have told me to do when he was younger and in pregnancy that have and are constantly changing, the things you can eat whilst pregnant changed from when i had the oldest to when i had my younger 2 to now during this pregnancy the amount of care you recieve in pregnancy has changed dramatically in 11 years, folic acid wasnt mentioned 11 years ago, weaning was 3 mnths 11 year ago,babies were placed on there sides to sleep 11 years ago its always changes, i tend to mother my children with gutt instinct rather than what is written in some text book that will be rewritten in 6 yrs time

im taking folic acid as i did with my last 2 pregnancy's but just because you may not take it doesnt mean bad things will happen it lowers the risk it does not erradicate it not taking a pill doesnt cause birth defects its genetic and/or enviromental

 

[AngelBunny]

i reckon you'll be fine - the vitamins are just a safety net. i mean we only recently had them to take anyway, the cave people did just fine they are good for me as im not eating as well as i should be u'l be just fine xx

 

[t33cup]

Wow, thanks ladies I feel so much better.
I guess I was not thinking of of drug addicts and such, or those who get no prenatal care.
I am relieved.
I think I may purchase organic ones though; I'm not all about this RED 40 dye nonsense in the ingredient list.

I understand your worry about the folic acid but you're taking it now. It will be fine -you are eating healthily you've already given baby the best start. iron for example is not absorbed without vit c (from fruit and veg) and you're right that primary source is so much better than a supplement anyway which is often unrinated away -especially when people dont take them with food (as it does tell you too!) I can tell how healthy you are by your worries over additives etc. I dont think you should give yourself anymore of a hard time over this, try not to worry

 

[Tegans Mama]

my eldest is 11 i never got told to take folic acid he's fine its a reletevely new thing they will change there minds about taking it soon mark my words
there are loads of things i did for the eldest they tell you not to do now i must admit im abit of a rebel and take things into my own hands wots good for 1 pregnancy is good for another
dont worry about it you will be fine

No, they won't as it's scientifically proven. Sorry but that's disgusting that you'd risk your LO being born with a severe disability because you see yourself as 'a bit of a rebel'.
I apologise if you weren't referring to folic acid with that last sentence and TBH, I hope you weren't.

Have to agree with Blah here. I don't know why anyone would risk having a child who is severely disabled just because they are a rebel. The links between folic acid and the prevention of spina bifida are PROVEN by scientists. SB is becoming more common now due to a decline is the diet and general health of females of child bearing age - there was far less risk of anyone having a child with SB 10 years ago than there is now.

To the OP - you'll probably be fine. Try not to worry. The majority of babies (born into whatever circumstances) come out fine. It's a very small number who are not.

 

[Tegans Mama]

i was refering to alot of things midwifes have told me to do when he was younger and in pregnancy that have and are constantly changing, the things you can eat whilst pregnant changed from when i had the oldest to when i had my younger 2 to now during this pregnancy the amount of care you recieve in pregnancy has changed dramatically in 11 years, folic acid wasnt mentioned 11 years ago, weaning was 3 mnths 11 year ago,babies were placed on there sides to sleep 11 years ago its always changes, i tend to mother my children with gutt instinct rather than what is written in some text book that will be rewritten in 6 yrs time

im taking folic acid as i did with my last 2 pregnancy's but just because you may not take it doesnt mean bad things will happen it lowers the risk it does not erradicate it not taking a pill doesnt cause birth defects its genetic and/or enviromental

Actually taking a prescribed dose of FA (5mg - 12 times what is in an OTC FA pill) will eradicate over 95% of cases of Spina Bifida even in a high risk woman like myself (since I have a daughter with SB I am high risk). SB is NOT genetic - there is no known gene for SB and it is almost always random. There is no SB in my family at all except my daughter who has a very severe spinal defect. Most cases of spina bifida could be prevented if the woman took a NORMAL dose of FA (the normal OTC one).

 

[queencarrie]

u are totally missing my point it may be my baby brain i wasnt saying i dont take folic acid coz im a rebel
i thought i explained that in my last post i am and have taken it in my my last 2 pregnancy's roughly starting at 4-6 weeks
the original post was will bad things happen because i havnt taken it yet!!!! if you take it as soon as you know you will be fine you cant beat yourself up about something that has been done i didnt take it 11 year ago because it wasnt offered then so does that make me a bad mother for not taking it then!
just like i put my son to sleep on his side 11 yr ago yet they now say back only was that wrong of me!!
that was my point