Patient's question:
Does taking too much folic acid during pregnancy have any benefits?Doctor's answer:
Hello! Folic acid belongs to the B vitamins and is naturally found in green leafy vegetables and animal liver. It can also be synthesized artificially. If pregnant women lack vitamin B12 or folic acid during pregnancy, they are likely to develop megaloblastic anemia. If a mother lacks folic acid during the critical period of fetal organ formation in pregnancy, it can lead to neural tube defects. Appropriate supplementation with folic acid can effectively reduce the incidence of NTDs in fetuses. In addition to effectively preventing NTDs, folic acid is also associated with the occurrence of congenital heart disease, cleft lip and palate, omphalocele, and anorectal atresia, among other birth defects.