Ms. Zhang was 10 weeks pregnant, and during the obstetric examination, the doctor found that she had a lack of folic acid. After a series of laboratory tests, doctors developed a series of ways to supplement folic acid and reminded her to check on time.
Why supplement folic acid? What happens when there is a lack of folic acid?
Why folic acid supplementation?
Folic acid has many roles in the human body and plays different roles for different people. For example, taking folic acid in pregnant women can prevent neural tube dysplasia. Folic acid is a B vitamin that produces red blood cells in the blood and plays an important role in growth and development.
What happens to a lack of folic acid?
Normally, the neural tubes of an embryo begin to close on the 21st day after conception (equivalent to the 35th day after the last menstrual period) and complete the closure on the 28th day (equivalent to the 42nd day after the last menstrual period). If the mother's folate level is insufficient during this period, the closure of the fetal neural tube may be obstructed, leading to a neural tube defect.
In fact, neural tube malformations can have a very serious effect on the fetus.
What is neural tube malformation?
Neural tube defects (ntds), also known as neural tube malformations, are a class of birth defects caused by insufficiency of the neural tubes in the early stages of embryonic development, and the main clinical types include anencephaly, spina bifida, and cerebral bulge. Most fetuses do not survive, and a few after birth survive but for shorter periods of time.
How to supplement folic acid scientifically?
Folic acid supplementation during pregnancy can effectively prevent fetal neural tube defects, reducing the occurrence of neural tube defects by 50-70%. Neural tube defects are anencephaly, spina bifida, and bulging brain. In addition to eating folic acid-rich folic acid-rich folic vegetables, oranges and other folic acid-fortified foods during pregnancy, oral administration of an appropriate amount of folic acid tablets every day can supplement the folic acid needed by the human body. Period and dosage of folic acid supplementation: 0.4 mg/day from the first trimester of pregnancy to the first trimester of pregnancy, and 4 mg/day for women who have previously given birth to neural tube defect fetuses or who have taken antiepileptic drugs.
Isn't the more folic acid you take, the better?
The answer is no, folic acid is a B vitamin that everyone needs, not just expectant mothers. The human body itself cannot synthesize folic acid, so it can only be obtained through food and nutrient supplementation. Taking too much folic acid can interfere with zinc metabolism in the human body, resulting in zinc deficiency. Zinc deficiency in expectant mothers not only affects their own health, but also declines immunity, aggravates pregnancy reactions, loses appetite, and more importantly affects the growth and development of babies. However, expectant mothers do not have to be afraid, and while eating a normal diet, routine folic acid supplementation will not produce adverse reactions.
What are the foods that contain folic acid?
fruit
Oranges, strawberries, cherries, bananas, lemons, peaches, plums, apricots, bayberry, begonias, sour dates, hawthorns, pomegranates, grapes, kiwis, pears, apples, etc.
vegetable
Lettuce, spinach, dragon's whiskers, cauliflower, rapeseed, cabbage, greens, lentils, pods, tomatoes, carrots, pumpkins, mushrooms, etc.
legume
Soybeans, soy products, walnuts, cashews, chestnuts, almonds, pine nuts, etc.
animal
Animal liver, kidneys, poultry meat and eggs, such as pork liver, beef, lamb, chicken, egg yolk, etc.
cereals
Whole wheat flour, barley, rice bran, wheat germ, brown rice, etc.
Is it okay to eat folic acid alone?
It is recommended to take folic acid tablets after pregnancy, because even if it is a food containing folic acid, when eaten, the body will only absorb a part of the folic acid. In the usual consumption of more folic acid-rich foods, you can supplement folic acid on the basis of eating folic acid tablets.
Tips:
In fact, the government provides free folic acid supplementation for women of childbearing age, and the dosage should be carried out under the guidance of a doctor to avoid unexpected situations. Supplementary objects: Permanently married pregnant women and women within 3 months of pregnancy Supplemental time: from the beginning of pregnancy preparation, to 3 months after pregnancy (free of charge) and continue throughout the pregnancy collection location: designated service agencies in the jurisdiction
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