Recently I attended a women’s business networking meeting. I was surprised and alarmed to note that some of the women there did not know why folate is important in pregnancy and even more importantly when it is required.

There has been much research on folate and pregnancy, it is now known that women, who have adequate intakes of the folate for  at least 1 to 2 months before they conceive a baby, and for the first 6 to 12 weeks of their pregnancy, have a greatly reduced chance of having a baby with abnormalities known as neural tube defects. The likelihood of having a baby with a neural tube defect is reduced by up to 70% when adequate folic acid is taken.

Neural tube defects occur when there are problems with the development of the baby’s brain, skull and spinal cord. The baby’s neural tube normally closes approximately between week 3 and 4 of pregnancy (day 21-28, approx 5-6 weeks after the woman’s last period). If there is a deficiency in folate at this point, a neural tube defect eg spina bifida and anencephaly will occur.

Unfortunatley; this is so early in the pregnancy that many women are unaware they are pregnant.

Adequate folic acid also appears to decrease the incidence of some other abnormalities, such as cleft lip and/or palate.

Folate (vitamin B9 also called folic acid), plays a role in DNA and RNA synthesis and is  therefore critical in cellular division. In order to divide properly cells need adequate folic acid. The development and growth of a foetus involves constant cell division, which can lead to an increase in the mother’s demand for folate.

Preconception preparation is important, not everyone has a planned pregnancy which is why all women of child bearing age who are sexual active must know their folate status. Talk to your GP about a simple blood test to see if you have good levels of folate.

Many medications can reduce your folate levels, most commonly in women it is the birth control pill or implant/injection. If you are coming off the pill it is important to know you are at a high risk of being deficient in folate,especially if you are planning to conceive. It is good to allow a minimum of three months or even better six months before attempting to conceive after stopping the contraceptive pill/implant/injections.

Alcohol and a poor diet may also cause a folate deficiency.

Folate supplementation may be suited to you, talk to your health professional about suitable pregnancy multivitamins for you.

Some foods have now been fortified with folate (some pastas, breads and cereals).

Examples of foods that naturally contain folate are: