How much Folic Acid During Pregnancy?

Nurses General Nursing

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Prenantal Vitamins tend to make me very sick, I have horrible nausea and I am just taking a One A Day Vitamin right now. It has everything in it, and the Folic Acid dosage is 400mcg. I am about 5 weeks along. Should I be taking more folic acid than this?

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I think you are taking the correct dose, 0.4mg (or 400mcg) is the recommended daily dose of folic acid, UNLESS you have a history of having children with neural tube defects (ie, had a baby w/spina bifida), then the dose is much higher, 4MG a day I think. I am a newbie, so a seasoned nurse may be able to give you better info, this is just what I have learned. Congrats on your pregnancy; hope it is a happy and healthy one!

Lil

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Specializes in NICU.

Prenatals have 800mcg of folic acid in them. If you can't tolerate taking actual prenatal vitamins, consider increasing your dietary intake of folic acid. But make sure you take the One a Day at the very least... this is a very critical time for the baby's neural tube.

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You can buy folic acid by itself and take it alone. They are very small pills and shouldn't upset your stomach too much. It is very difficult to consume the amount of folic acid you need from foods, unless they are enriched already. Synthetic is best absorbed by the body. The neural tube is closing at around 6 weeks so this time is crucial for you to get what you need. I took a mulitvitamin and supplemented with extra folic acid equal to around 1200 mcg during my pregnancy.

good luck and hope you feel better!!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Be sure to ask your dr, but during my pregnancies, 1mg was prescribed and I took it.

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