nuhahyearlyLaunch pricing - Get £50 off!nuhahyearlyTake 400mcg of folic acid daily from when you start trying to conceive until at least 12 weeks. A higher 5mg dose is recommended if you have certain risk factors. The neural tube closes between days 21 and 28 after conception, so early supplementation is critical.
Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, a B vitamin (B9). Your body needs folate to make new cells and DNA. During pregnancy, demand increases dramatically. Folate is the natural form found in food. Folic acid is the manufactured form in supplements and fortified foods. Both do the same job, but folic acid is more reliably absorbed.
The NHS recommends 400 micrograms (mcg) daily from when you start trying to conceive until at least 12 weeks of pregnancy.
A higher dose of 5mg daily is recommended if you have risk factors: a previous neural tube defect pregnancy, BMI of 30+, diabetes, anti-epilepsy medication, or coeliac disease. The 5mg dose requires a GP prescription.
Ideally one month before conception. The neural tube closes between days 21 and 28 after conception (weeks 4 to 5 of pregnancy). If you find out you are pregnant without having taken it, start immediately.
After 12 weeks you do not need to continue folic acid specifically, though many pregnancy multivitamins include it throughout.
At 400mcg there is no risk of excess. Do not take multiple supplements containing folic acid simultaneously. If your pregnancy multivitamin includes 400mcg, you do not need a separate tablet.
Some people have an MTHFR variation that affects folic acid processing. Current NHS guidance does not recommend methylfolate over standard folic acid for the general population. Standard folic acid is effective for the vast majority of people.
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