Patient's question:
My wife is pregnant for 6~7 weeks now. She often eats Matari and spirulina, and also takes Anmian milk powder. Will it affect the fetus?Doctor's answer:
Hello: It is best to take vitamins appropriately!! But it is essential to actively supplement folic acid! Folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin that is richly stored in green leafy vegetables, fruits, and animal livers. Folic acid participates in the entire process of human metabolism and is a necessary vitamin for synthesizing important substances like DNA in the human body. Its deficiency can not only lead to neural tube defects in fetuses but also increase the incidence of malformations in organs such as the eyes, lips, palate, gastrointestinal tract, cardiovascular system, kidneys, and bones.During the one month before pregnancy and the three months after pregnancy, taking 0.4 milligrams of folic acid supplements daily can prevent most neural tube defects in fetuses. It is worth noting that women taking folic acid should do so under the guidance of a doctor. Additionally, the following points should be kept in mind:
1. Folic acid must be taken one month before pregnancy. The emphasis on starting before pregnancy is to ensure that women maintain a certain level of folic acid in their bodies, guaranteeing a better nutritional status for the early stages of embryonic development. Research shows that it takes four weeks after taking folic acid for the body to correct a deficiency in folic acid. This way, during the sensitive period of neural tube formation in the early stages of pregnancy, sufficient folic acid can meet the needs of nervous system development. Moreover, it must be taken consistently during the first three months of pregnancy for the best preventive effect.
2. Women in areas with a low incidence of neural tube defects in China should also supplement with folic acid. The incidence of neural tube defects in China is higher in northern regions than in southern regions and higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Therefore, some people believe that women in low-risk areas may not need to take folic acid during pregnancy.