WHAT IS FOLIC ACID.
Folic acid is one of the B vitamins used as a supplement. by women during pregnancy to prevent brain damage and neural tube defects (NTD) in the baby. Low levels in early pregnancy are believed to be the cause of more than half of babies born with neuratube defects.It may be taken by mouth or by injection.
FOODS THAT CONTAIN FOLIC ACID
Folate naturally occurs in a wide variety of foods, including vegetables (particularly dark green leaf vegetables ), fruits such as oranges, banana, papaya, grape fruit juices, okra, beans, nuts, soybeans , chickpeas , dairy products, poultry and meat, eggs, seafood, grains, and some beers. Avocado , corn, carrots beetroot ,spinach , liver, yeast, asparagus , kale ,
IMPORTANCE OF FOLIC ACID IN PREGNANCY.
1. Folic acid helps prevent neural tube defects (NTDs). Neural tube defects are serious birth defects of the spinal cord (such as spina bifida) and the brain (such as anencephaly). The neural tube is the part of the embryo from which your baby's spine and brain develop.
2. Prevention of anaemia and Folic acid help in production of red blood cell
It is particularly important for women who are pregnant to consume enough folic acid. This helps prevent the fetus from developing major congenital deformities of the brain or spine, including neural tube defects, such as spina bifida and anencephaly.
Women planning to get pregnant should take folic acid supplements for a full year before conception to reduce the risk of thesemcvelopment.
HOW MUCH FOLIC ACID SHOULD A PERSON TAKE.
The recommended dose for all women of childbearing age is 400 mcg of folate each day. If you take a multivitamin every day, check to see if it has the recommended amount. If for some reason you don't want to take a multivitamin, you can take folic acid supplements .
Here's how much folic acid is recommended each day in terms of pregnancy:
While you're trying to conceive: 400 mcg
For the first three months of pregnancy: 400 mcg
For months four to nine of pregnancy: 600 mcg
While breast feeding: 500 mcg
FOLIC ACID DEFICIENCY SYMPTOMS
Without enough folic acid in your body, your baby's neural tube may not close correctly and she could develop health problems called neural tube defects. These include:
1. Spina bifida : incomplete development of the spinal cord or the vertebrae of the child
2. Anencephaly : incomplete development of major parts of the brain of the child.
Unfortunately, there are few tell-tale signs that a fetus is lacking the folic acid needed for normal fetal development. Often the deficiency is recognized after it is too late. However, there are common signs of an neural tube defects caused by a folic acid deficiency. The signs and symptoms include:
1. An opening in the baby's back exposing the spine and spinal cord
2. Paralysis below the point of the defect
3. Lack of bladder control and bowel function
4. Accumulation of fluid in the brain
5. Partially formed brain and spinal cord
Anencephaly ( incomplete development of major parts of the brain of the child.)
WHAT TO DO TO PREVENT FOLIC ACID DEFICIENCY.
It is extremely important for women to take folic acid vitamins and supplements before planning pregnancies and during pregnancy in order to prevent folic acid disorders from occurring.
Caring for a Child With a Folic Acid Deficiency Disorder
Was your child born with spina bifida? the most common folic acid disorder? The level of disability your child will experience depends upon where on the spine the defect occurred. Some children will learn to walk with assistance, others will need a wheelchair, and sadly, some of them are stillborn or do not live long following the delivery.
Your child will need to go through surgery and afterwards series of therapy sessions to manage the disability and teach the child through the learning phase.
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