Prenatal vitamin nightmare - not enough folic acid

[peppermint225]

I am about 8 weeks pregnant and have been taking prenatal vitamins for years, long before my first baby, all through breastfeeding and then ttc#2. For about 6 months I have been using a brand from my local grocery store. Last night I happened to read the side panel and it said a serving size was FOUR tablets. So for the last 6 months I have been taking a quarter of the vitamins I should have been takings. My biggest concern is that I have only been getting 200 mcg of folic acid (there is 800 mcg per serving.)

How worried do you think I should be?

 

[booflebump]

The recommended dose is 400mcg. Lots of people have babies without ever taking FA so dont worry too much x

 

[lozzy21]

Something is better than nothing

 

[rcbrown08]

I honestly think you are fine. Also, take into consideration that folic acid is in a lot of the foods that we eat, so I'm sure you have been getting more than 1/4 of the daily recommended dosage. People have been having babies for centuries, long before the invention of prenatal vitamins, ultrasounds, etc. Remember our bodies were created for this and I'm sure your little bean is getting everything he/she needs.

 

[xprincessx]

you will be fine, i only started taking mine at about 9 weeks (when i was advised to) and baby is ok

 

[summer rain]

800mcg is only the recommendation in the US; over here and in Europe (and neural tube defects have been reduced by 75% here) its 400 so you were getting half of it; some women do need more but they usually are advised by their doctors specifically because for genetic or other reasons they do not absorb folic acid as well as others. Folic acid is in quite a lot of foods and I heard in some countries flour and cereals are fortified with it, I believe the US is one of them...

 

[Tulip]

The chance of your baby suffering a neural tube defect is very low, as you have been getting at least half the UK RDA (and if you've been eating your green veggies that will also bump up your intake).

If bean was going to have a problem, taking the full dose may not even have prevented it - I was on 800mcg for a year before conceiving Ruby but it still wasn't enough to close her neural tube

However you already have a little one, so your body clearly doesn't suffer a chronic shortage of FA. Your little bean will be just fine, try not to worry

 

[anna matronic]

I started taking mine at about 8/9 weeks and I have to say I missed a few days too. I have stopped taking it now. I am sure you are totally fine. Everything with me is ok.

We need to remember that our mothers and those before didn't take it and we are all perfectly healthy xxx

 

[chubbin]

My first batch of pregnancy vitamins (incl folic acid) came with a months supply of cod liver oil tablets. I thought the pills were combined, as so was taking cod liver oil tablets SOLELY for four weeks in the first trimester until I noticed the other sheets of vitamin tablets and realised that I was meant to take one of each. No problems have been detected with bubs though (touch wood) and so Im sure you'll be fine too xx

 

[KruKru]

Hi Pepperminff 225,
I know you posted this back in May, but I did the same thing as you did the with prenatal vitamins. I am really worried. I bought some all natural prenatal vitamins at Whole Foods and I have been taking them for months before I got pregnant and then 8 weeks into my pregnancy. My mom happened to read the bottle a couple days ago and saw I should have been taking SIX pills a day and I was only taking ONE. So, I was only getting 166mcg of Folic acid of the recommended 400mcg. I do not eat a lot of fortified cereal or pasta, I only eat natural foods, so I am worried I was not even getting folic acid in my foods. How serious is this? I am so worried that it has made me terribly depressed. Of course now I switched to a one a day pill, but I feel like it's too late. They say folic acid is needed BEFORE pregnancy and in the first month.

I am about 8 weeks pregnant and have been taking prenatal vitamins for years, long before my first baby, all through breastfeeding and then ttc#2. For about 6 months I have been using a brand from my local grocery store. Last night I happened to read the side panel and it said a serving size was FOUR tablets. So for the last 6 months I have been taking a quarter of the vitamins I should have been takings. My biggest concern is that I have only been getting 200 mcg of folic acid (there is 800 mcg per serving.)

How worried do you think I should be?

 

[Sloane15]

I wanted to know how did the pregnancies, turn out? I made the same thing at 10 weeks...

 

[Buffyx]

My SIL wasn't planning and she fell and didn't know until 10 weeks. Her baby is fine x

 

[Sloane15]

Thank you so much!

 

[tryn4]

Folic acid is only effective if you start it 3 months prior to pregnancy. Since most of my pregnancies were unplanned I didn't take it at all. With any of them. I have 5 healthy children so far no defects.

 

[Sloane15]

Thank you, I have taken frolic acid with a good pre natal for years. However, in an effort to be be better, I bought an expensive brand at Whole goods in August. I didn't learn until I was ten weeks that you ended to take 6 pills a day.

 

[tryn4]

I wouldn't worry too much about it. I don't even take prenatal vits. I throw them up.

 

[Pregosaur]

I would start taking the recommended dose now and not worry, because you have been taking it for so long your body most likely accumulated all the vitamins it needed!