folic Acid Benefits In Pregnancy
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Posted On :
Nov-20-2011
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Article Word Count :
526
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If you are planning to become pregnant you should take folic acid supplements - even if you are healthy and have a good diet. Once pregnant, continue to take the supplements for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
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When you are searching for foods rich in folic acid, what should you look for on the label? Since nearly all of the folate in a processed product such as cereal, rice, bread, and pasta is in the form of folic acid, it's easy to determine how much of that food meets your daily need of 400 mcg. For example, if one serving is defined as one cup, and one cup contains 50 percent of the Daily Value for folic acid (that is, 200 mcg), you have met half of your daily quota for folic acid as a woman who is not pregnant.
daily needs Women with diabetes, epilepsy, or obesity are at an increased risk of having a baby with an NTD and need larger doses of folic acid. Women who take trimethorpim, triamterene, carbamazepine, phenytoin, phenobarbital, and primidone are at risk of folate deficiency. Speak with your health-care provider before pregnancy about the right folic acid dose for you. Don't consume more than 1,000 mcg a day unless you are advised to do so by a licensed medical professional.
* Nonpregnant: all ages, 400 mcg
* Pregnant: all ages, 600 mcg
* Nursing: all ages, 500 mcg
Choline is a nutrient that is essential for the normal functioning of all cells, especially those in the brain, the liver, and the central nervous system. Choline works in tandem with folic acid to promote proper nervous system development during pregnancy.
Choline can help to protect your baby from NTDs. A recent American Journal of Epidemiology study of a group of women found that those who consumed the most choline had a 72 percent lower risk of an NTDaffected pregnancy than the women with the lowest choline intakes.
Animal studies show that choline is critical for the development of the hippocampus, the brain's memory center. The hippocampus is one of the only areas in the brain that continues to produce nerve cells throughout life. During pregnancy, the baby's organ growth, particularly the growth of the brain, happens at lightning speed, and the mother's diet must supply the choline that the developing child requires.
Nevertheless, many women enter pregnancy with a choline deficiency. That's the conclusion of a study from Iowa State University, which determined that less than 90 percent of women and pregnant women get the amount of dietary choline recommended by the Institute of Medicine. Vegans and women following very low fat diets are at particular risk for inadequate choline intake.
Choline is widely available in the food supply, but certain foods are particularly concentrated in it: eggs, liver, pork, and beef. For example, two eggs supply more than half the choline you need daily before, during, and after pregnancy. Don't rely on multivitamin pills or prenatal supplements for choline. Most dietary supplements supply little or no choline. Be sure to satisfy your choline quota with a balanced eating plan that includes choline-rich foods every day.
Choline Daily Needs
* Nonpregnant: all ages, 425 mg
* Pregnant: all ages, 450 mg
* Nursing: all ages, 550 mg
* Do not consume more than 3,500 mg of choline daily.
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Article Source :
http://www.articleseen.com/Article_folic Acid Benefits In Pregnancy_107011.aspx
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Author Resource :
I love to share resources that help address common problems in women. To learn more about getting pregnant naturally, check out this Personal Path to Pregnancy. Also check out Pregnancy Without Pounds, where you can find ways to have a healthy pregnancy while remaining sexy after birth.
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Keywords :
Folic Acid And Pregnancy, how much, daily needs, choline,
Category :
Health and Fitness
:
Health and Fitness
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