Patient's question:
I went to a pharmacy to buy folic acid tablets, and the staff always gave me those with a dosage of 5 to 10 milligrams. Do I have to take the 0.4 milligram ones before pregnancy? I can't seem to find them, is there another name for this medication?First follow-up question: Doctor: Hello! I bought folic acid tablets today from Beijing Maidihai Pharmaceutical, with each tablet containing 0.4mg. What should I pay attention to when taking them? Can I take them during my menstrual period as usual? Is it one tablet per day?
Second follow-up question: Is the dosage of folic acid the same before and after pregnancy? Should I take the 5mg tablets after pregnancy?
Doctor's answer:
Hello: It is necessary to start taking folic acid one month before pregnancy. The purpose of emphasizing the need to start taking folic acid before pregnancy is to maintain a certain level of folic acid in women's bodies, ensuring that the early embryo has a good nutritional status of folic acid. According to research, it takes four weeks for women to correct the state of folic acid deficiency in their bodies after taking folic acid. In 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, and it must be taken persistently during the first three months of pregnancy to achieve the best preventive effect.2. Women in low-prevalence areas of neural tube defects in China should also supplement folic acid. The incidence of neural tube defects in China is higher in northern areas than in southern areas, and higher in rural areas than in urban areas. Therefore, some people believe that women in low-prevalence areas can skip folic acid supplementation during pregnancy. This misconception may become a hidden risk for the birth of children with neural tube defects. According to surveys, a significant portion of women of childbearing age in low-prevalence areas still lack folic acid in their bodies. Therefore, women in low-prevalence areas must not be careless before pregnancy.
3. Can taking folic acid supplements guarantee that neural tube defects will not occur? Taking folic acid supplements is to prevent neural tube defects caused by folic acid deficiency in pregnant women. Folic acid deficiency is the main cause of neural tube defects, but not the only cause. Family genetic factors and other environmental factors can also lead to the occurrence of neural tube defects, and there are no definite preventive measures for these yet. According to domestic and international research, taking folic acid supplements can prevent 80% of neural tube defect births.