Why You Need Folic Acid Daily....CDC

Why You Need Folic Acid Daily.....CDC

CDC urges every woman who could become pregnant to get 400 micrograms (400 mcg) of folic acid every day.

B vitamins folic Acids helps prevents birth defects. If a woman has enough folic acid in her body before and while pregnant, is less likely to develop major birth defect of the brain or spine

What Is Folic Acid?

Folic acid is a B vitamin. Our bodies use it to make new cells. Everyone needs folic acid. But for women who can get pregnant, it is really important! If a woman has enough folic acid in her body 

before she is pregnant, it can help prevent major birth defects of her baby’s brain and spine. These birth defects are neural tube defects or NTDs. Women need to take folic acid every day, starting before they are pregnant to help prevent NTDs.

When Should a Woman Start Taking Folic Acid?

These birth defects of the brain and spine happen in the first few weeks of pregnancy, often before a woman finds out that she is pregnant. All women should get in the habit of taking folic acid daily even when they are not planning to get pregnant. For folic acid to help, a woman needs to take it every day, starting before she becomes pregnant.

Folic Acid: All Women, Every Day

You might think that you can get all the folic acid and other vitamins you need from the food you eat each day. But it is hard to eat a diet that has all the nutrients you need every day. Even with careful planning, you might not get all the vitamins you need from your diet alone. That’s why it’s important to take a vitamin with folic acid every day.