Why do pregnant women need folic acid?
Folic acid is especially important for the healthy development of babies early in pregnancy. A baby’s growth is the most rapid in the first weeks of life – often before a woman is aware she is pregnant. The neural tube closes and fuses very early in pregnancy; if it doesn’t close, the result is a NTD such as spina bifida. In Australia, women of child bearing age are advised to consume 400 micrograms (a microgram is a millionth of a gram) of folic acid a day to minimise the risk of their unborn child being affected by a NTD. Folic acid taken at recommended levels for at least one month before and three months after conception can prevent the occurrence of most NTDs.
