Patient's question:
Medical history: 28 years old, female, good physical condition. Past treatment and effectiveness: Has never taken folic acid. What kind of help do you want: I am 39 weeks pregnant, is it still too late to start taking folic acid now?Doctor's answer:
Hello, folic acid is a water-soluble B vitamin, and pregnant women require four times the amount compared to normal individuals. The early stages of pregnancy are a critical period for the differentiation of fetal organ systems and the formation of the placenta, with highly active cell growth and division. Folic acid deficiency during this time can lead to fetal malformations. For example, in China, the incidence rate of neural tube defects, including anencephaly and spina bifida, is approximately 3.8 per thousand. Additionally, it can cause early natural miscarriage. Women planning to conceive or in the early stages of pregnancy should supplement with folic acid daily and consume foods rich in folic acid to reduce the risk of certain birth defects for their babies. Pregnant women with insufficient folic acid intake may increase the likelihood of miscarriage.By the second trimester (starting from the 13th week of pregnancy), if you no longer wish to take nutritional supplements, you can stop, but continuing to take them throughout the entire pregnancy will not have harmful effects on you or your baby.