Post Date December, 02 2023
Folic acid is a water-soluble vitamin that participates in the metabolism of various substances in the human body, such as nucleic acid, protein, and phospholipids. It is of great significance for the synthesis of genetic materials, cell proliferation, and tissue growth of the body.
During embryonic development, by 3-4 weeks of pregnancy, the neural tube should have already closed. If it is not fully closed, it will form neural tube malformations, manifested as spina bifida, encephalocele, and central nervous system developmental malformations dominated by anencephaly. About 85% of neural tube abnormalities are caused by folic acid deficiency before and during early pregnancy. Therefore, it is necessary to supplement folic acid in a timely manner when starting pregnancy preparation.
Do expectant fathers need to supplement folic acid during pregnancy preparation?
It has always been believed that expectant mothers can only supplement with folic acid, but in fact, expectant fathers cannot ignore folic acid supplementation. For expectant fathers, folic acid is an important substance to improve sperm quality. When folic acid is insufficient in the male body, the concentration of semen and sperm motility decrease, which can reduce the chances of conception.
In addition, because folic acid is involved in the synthesis of genetic material DNA and RNA in the body, the "seed" that transmits your genetic information cannot do without folic acid! According to research from the University of California in the United States, folic acid is also crucial for male reproductive health.
How much folic acid should be supplemented daily for pregnancy preparation?
Recommend a daily dietary standard of 0.4 milligrams of folic acid. Before pregnancy, the amount of folic acid supplementation for couples is the same. Medically, it is considered safe for healthy pregnant men and women or pregnant women to supplement 0.4 milligrams of folic acid daily. However, women who have previously had a baby with a neural tube malformation (spina bifida) and women with a family history of having a baby with a neural tube malformation may have a higher intake of folic acid. Please follow the doctor's instructions.
Purchase folic acid according to your own needs
There are many brands of folic acid on the market, including products with drug registration numbers, as well as products with a small blue hat logo on the bottle and health food written below. Pharmacies sell both 0.4 milligrams of folic acid per tablet and 5 milligrams of folic acid per tablet, and only 0.4 milligrams of folic acid are needed for pregnancy preparation.
It should be noted that currently, most folic acid tablet products are chemically synthesized folic acid. There are now natural folic acid products extracted from food, and choosing natural folic acid during pregnancy preparation is a better choice for couples.
