{"id":39594,"date":"2025-06-23T12:57:27","date_gmt":"2025-06-23T10:57:27","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/the-importance-of-folic-acid-during-pregnancy\/"},"modified":"2025-06-23T12:57:27","modified_gmt":"2025-06-23T10:57:27","slug":"the-importance-of-folic-acid-during-pregnancy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/the-importance-of-folic-acid-during-pregnancy\/","title":{"rendered":"The importance of folic acid during pregnancy"},"content":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve likely always heard about the importance of taking folic acid before and during pregnancy. But\u2026 do you really know why? At our fertility clinic in Spain we have realised that many patients have questions about<strong>\u00a0taking this vitamin during pregnancy<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>But the questions end today! In this article we plan on answering the<strong>\u00a0most frequently asked questions about folic acid<\/strong>\u00a0that many of our patients have enquired about\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/travel-plan\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">during consultations<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_85 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-custom ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Tabla de contenidos<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #3f3f3f;color:#3f3f3f\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #3f3f3f;color:#3f3f3f\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/the-importance-of-folic-acid-during-pregnancy\/#What_is_folic_acid\" >What is folic acid?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/the-importance-of-folic-acid-during-pregnancy\/#Why_should_you_take_folic_acid_during_pregnancy\" >Why should you take folic acid during pregnancy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/the-importance-of-folic-acid-during-pregnancy\/#What_functions_does_folic_acid_perform_during_pregnancy\" >What functions does folic acid perform during pregnancy?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/the-importance-of-folic-acid-during-pregnancy\/#When_should_I_start_taking_folic_acid\" >When should I start taking folic acid?<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/the-importance-of-folic-acid-during-pregnancy\/#What_foods_are_rich_in_folic_acid\" >What foods are rich in folic acid?<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_is_folic_acid\"><\/span>What is folic acid?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The first step is to clearly define what we\u2019re talking about, right? Okay, folic acid is a water\u2011soluble vitamin that belongs to the group of B vitamins which are\u00a0<strong>essential to the nervous system and cellular regeneration<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<p>In order for you to understand more clearly, you should know that among the functions of folic acid there are three which are of special importance:\u00a0<strong>cell growth, production of red blood cells and DNA production<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Why_should_you_take_folic_acid_during_pregnancy\"><\/span>Why should you take folic acid during pregnancy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are\u00a0<strong>two main reasons<\/strong>\u00a0why it\u2019s recommended that women take folic acid\u00a0during pregnancy.<\/p>\n<p>First of all, the folic acid we obtain daily through our diet is\u00a0<strong>less than the amount a pregnant woman needs<\/strong>. According to the Spanish Society of Gynaecology, the daily recommended intake of folic acid for women is 200\u00a0micrograms\u00a0(ug).<\/p>\n<p>However, if you are trying to conceive or you are already pregnant, intake\u00a0<strong>should be between 400 and 800\u00a0micrograms daily<\/strong>. Finally, women who are breastfeeding should consume about 300\u00a0ug daily.<\/p>\n<p>Our Mediterranean diet is good for fertility and can provide the 200\u00a0ug recommended daily,\u00a0<strong>but not the additional amount that a pregnant woman requires\u00a0<\/strong>for proper embryo development. This is why daily folic acid is prescribed.<\/p>\n<p>The second reason why doctors advise taking folic acid during pregnancy is because\u00a0<strong>the human body is not able to store it<\/strong>. Whatever the body doesn\u2019t use is eliminated through urine, thus making it necessary to consume folic acid naturally through food.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_functions_does_folic_acid_perform_during_pregnancy\"><\/span>What functions does folic acid perform during pregnancy?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>There are many studies that provide evidence showing that folic acid consumption during pregnancy\u00a0<strong>decreases the risk of birth defects<\/strong>. For example:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>It decreases the risk of birth defects to the central nervous system of the foetus, such as incomplete development of the brain and spina bifida.<\/li>\n<li>It prevents the appearance of cleft lip and cleft palate.<\/li>\n<li>It decreases the risk of congenital heart defects.<\/li>\n<li>It decreases the risk of anaemia during pregnancy.<\/li>\n<li>It reduces chances of spontaneous miscarriage, the appearance of preeclampsia and premature delivery.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"When_should_I_start_taking_folic_acid\"><\/span>When should I start taking folic acid?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>It is best to start taking it\u00a0<strong>one month before you start trying to conceive<\/strong>, as the foetus\u2019 nervous system develops during the first four weeks of gestation.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"What_foods_are_rich_in_folic_acid\"><\/span>What foods are rich in folic acid?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>Foods which contain the highest amounts of folic acid are\u00a0<strong>green vegetables<\/strong>. Green beans, spinach, broccoli, chard\u2026 these foods are all excellent sources of this vitamin.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Cow liver, sunflower seeds and legumes<\/strong>\u00a0are also important sources of folic acid, so combining these foods with vegetables is a good option.<\/p>\n<p>In terms of beverages,\u00a0<strong>natural orange juice and alcohol\u2011free beer<\/strong>\u00a0are at the top of the list of drinks with the highest amount of this vitamin. We recommend considering these choices if you\u2019re looking to feel refreshed!<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>You\u2019ve likely always heard about the importance of taking folic acid before and during pregnancy. But\u2026 do you really know why? At our fertility clinic in Spain we have realised that many patients have questions about\u00a0taking this vitamin during pregnancy. But the questions end today! In this article we plan on answering the\u00a0most frequently asked [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[501],"tags":[538,511,512,504,650,529,517,519,531,518,507,508,540,502,520,513,649,503,541,514,509,510,630,506,515,516,505],"class_list":["post-39594","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-lifestyle-and-fertility-en","tag-artificial-insemination","tag-assisted-reproduction-clinic-in-algeciras","tag-assisted-reproduction-clinic-in-malaga","tag-assisted-reproduction-techniques","tag-breastfeeding","tag-causes-of-infertility","tag-family","tag-female-fertility","tag-fertility","tag-fertility-clinic","tag-fertility-clinic-in-algeciras","tag-fertility-clinic-in-malaga","tag-fertility-preservation","tag-fertility-treatments","tag-fertility-treatments-in-algeciras","tag-fertility-treatments-in-malaga","tag-folic-acid","tag-in-vitro-fertilisation","tag-infertility","tag-ivf","tag-ivf-clinic-in-algeciras","tag-ivf-clinic-in-malaga","tag-looking-for-pregnancy","tag-pregnancy","tag-reproductive-treatments","tag-ure-en","tag-ure-centro-gutenberg-en"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39594","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=39594"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39594\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":39762,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/39594\/revisions\/39762"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=39594"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=39594"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/urecentrogutenberg.es\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=39594"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}