Folic Acid

[caz_hills]

How long should we be taking folic acid for? My friend said it was the first 13 weeks after pregnancy plus before but I'm still taking it at 16 weeks.... is that right?

 

[theresarhuebb]

1st 3 months because its the time your baby develops the most helps prevent deformaties. but you can take it for as long as you want wont do no harm x

 

[Jessicax5]

I take a prenatal multivitamin all throughout the pregnancy and also while breastfeeding. Folic Acid is in my vitamins and I was never told to stop taking it...

 

[lou100]

I thought it was only up until 12 weeks but i could be wrong. Thats when i stopped. Might be worth checking with your midwife x

 

[lou100]

My prenatal vitamins do contain it...just checked x

 

[caz_hills]

Thanks girls, I will check but I might keep taking it until then - I hope that is ok.

Thanks for your help. x

 

[kazb25]

i was told up to 12 weeks as this is the time baby developes after that baby grows bigger so 1st 12 weeks is the most important time to be taking folic acid

 

[theresarhuebb]

i was told take it for the 1st 3 months then if i wanted to keep going there no wrong in stopping as long as you took it in 1st 3 months x

 

[butterfly80]

Hi I took it for the first 3 months then I started taking Pregnacare which contains folic acid as well, I will take this through out the pregnancy and after as its for when you breast feed as well. Hope this helps xx

 

[theresarhuebb]

its aslo very expensive too. id love to get it x

 

[yhl80]

My OB told me to continue taking prenatal vitamin that includes folic acid in it. I do not think it hurts to continue taking it.

 

[meowmeow]

im 24wk tomorw still takin iiron n folic acid

 

[Ember]

I've never been told to take any supplement other than my prenatal which has folic acid in it. I've been taking it since TTC and will continue taking it for as long as I breastfeed. I read that Heidi Klum even takes prenatal vitamins even though she isn't TTC pregnant or breastfeeding because she likes how healthy and how fast it makes her hair and nails grow. It was a quote from her in a parenting magazine, can't remember which one, I've read so many since getting pregnant.

 

[emme]

you only need it from 0-12 weeks, however alot of prenatal vitamins contain it anyway, and i've been taking mine since we started ttc and will continue to whilst breast feeding, it doesn't do you or the baby harm

 

[Emmea12uk]

It is safe to stop at 12. I am in a clinical study on folic acid in pregnancy and there are no known benefits after the baby's nervous system and skeleton are fully formed.

Well done for taking it!!

 

[salander]

I was told the same as what Emmae has said that theres no known benefits to taking it after 12 weeks when i asked my midwife (no one actually told me to stop taking it either but at 13.5 weeks i phoned up mw to ask) Just to continue taking vitamin d. Theres nothing wrong it taking it longer tho hun x

 

[fifi-folle]

Where I live you the midwives give out vitamins for pregnant women (folic acid, vitamin D and C) for the whole of your pregnancy and first year of baby's life. The government advice is to take folic acid til 12 weeks but it's not going to harm you to take them longer, folic acid is a water soluble vitamin so any you don't need passes out through your wee (hence the fluorescent yellow wee!)

 

[miss cakes]

with my first 2 children i was told to take it up to 6wks pregnant this time round im told 12wks but can continue through whole pregnancy and it wont do any harm i just took mine up to 12wks as they kept makin me feel sick x

 

[Emmea12uk]

It is a good thing to ensure you have enough folic acid in your day to day life but in truth you should have enough in your diet. It is vital you have a medicated dose in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy after that you really should not take a medicated dose. It is fine if it is a prenatal or multivitamin but you can have too much folic acid and long term use is not recommended. Too much too long has been linked to heart and vascular problems, and some cancers.

The proper advice from a doctor who specialists in hematology is not to take a dose of higher than the average prenatal after 12 weeks of gestation and if ttc, break every 6 months of trying (whilst not trying of course!)

 

[londonangel]

I don't think you need to take it after the first three months, but I don't think it will do any harm to keep taking it if you want to.