Do You Need Folic Acid For The Whole Pregnancy?

[Lellow]

....I cant remember for the life of me what the advice is on it?

Can anyone help?



xxx

 

[mamaxo]

It's weird because some say you can stop at 12 weeks but some suggest to continue to take it during your whole pregnancy. I am going along with it for my whole pregnancy.

 

[cupcakekate]

Think they generally say up to 12 weeks is most important but can take it whole time, it's in the pregnacare vitamins etc so I'd imagine it's beneficial. I take it when I remember! Rubbish memory lol x

 

[smokey]

Same as above, some mw say to stop at 12 weeks but others say to continue because folic and b12 deficiancies can be commin in pregnancy especialy if you have diabites, kidney or anemia problems.
I take it throughout as a procaution because I have spina bifida but even though I take 5 mg which is about 11 times your adverage persons dose I still have a deficiancy, go figure.

 

[MrsCeder]

My midwife said its not essential past 12 weeks but she said it is good that I am continuing to take it. I also take the pregnacare vitamins.

 

[MorganEvans]

Not during the whole pregnancy. I personally stopped at my 11th week. Everything went well and i hope it will go good for you too.

 

[amjon]

I was told to take it the whole pregnancy.

 

[counting]

I'm high risk for NTD, so I was taking 6mg folic acid. At 15 weeks I was told the spine is already developed so I could cut down to a regular prenatal vitamin containing 1mg for the duration of the pregnancy.

I would continue to take a complete prenatal containing folic acid if I were you, but I wouldn't about taking an additional or separate supplement if you have been. It's still beneficial to take some folic acid, but not as essential in the second trimester as it was in the first.

 

[sue_88]

I ended up taking very sporadically at 8 weeks (after constant since TTC) due to sickness. Then stopped completely at 10 weeks.

Doc said that's fine, & my lady is perfect.

 

[knk2011]

I am terrible with pills, they make me feel sick, so I stopped at 12 weeks x

 

[sunflower82]

My doc has said to take it through my
Whole pregnancy I did for my first as
Well

 

[Thumper]

I was told to stop at 12 weeks last time. So abrely took it at all as I hadn't exactly planned on being pregnant
This time I will probably keep taking it as they are in my vits which I want to keep taking as I'm BFing too so want to make sure I've enough of everything for both my little parasites

 

[PurpleIvy44]

It's in my prenatal vitamins and I was told to keep taking them through postpartum so that what I plan to do.

 

[Lellow]

Thank you, thats a mixed bag there...Ill carry on til my next MW appt and see what her opinion is.

It cant hurt to take it the whole way thru i spose.

 

[sharnahw]

I'm taking pregnacare for whole pregnancy

 

[Fortune Cooki]

I feel more comfortable with continuing to take vitamins plus DHA, because I know I don't eat enough fruits and vegetables to provide the right amount of nutrients on a daily basis. I will also take the vitamins postpartum as I plan on breastfeeding.

 

[Kitta]

My first Pregnancy it wasn't nessasary to take the entire pregnancy. I took it 3 months in advance until 20+ weeks I think. Our son has a spinal bifida defect so this time I'm taking extra and taking it the whole way through and took extra before conceiving as well. My ob said I had done enough with my son anyway in trying to prevent an issue, it could have been worse had I not taken as much as I did.

 

[nicksi27]

I take a pregnancy multivitamin which has folic acid plus a folic acid tablet. My midwife said its fine and that she would rather me take it

 

[familygirl30]

I was told to stop taking it at 13 weeks

 

[Firestar]

In a lot of of the multi-vitamins on the market, it's an integral part. My Pregnacare vitamins state that they are suitable throughout pregnancy and breastfeeding, so on that basis I would say that folic acid certainly can't do any harm after 12 weeks.

Interestingly, there is an article online today in one of the papers about a study that has suggested that not only is Folic Acid good for preventing spina bifida, but also could potentially be linked to a decreased risk of a child having autism. As with all these studies, further research is needed, but it's an interesting read and does make you think about it from the findings.