Diet and pregnancy: the importance of folic acid

Preparing to host a baby

Long-awaited moment arrived, perhaps imagined since we can remember: we have decided to become mothers. In a period of much excitement, before conception is important to prepare the body to hold our baby. Apart from avoiding harmful habits like smoking, is reliant on certain nutrients that, if we are not watching our diet, may not be present in our daily diet.

For many women, pregnancy is a good time to start eating healthily and to incorporate good habits that keep for the rest of his life. While the common image of the pregnant hungry all-devouring, in most cases only need 300 extra calories a day to keep the baby (although the needs may vary). The challenge is to incorporate those calories by choosing foods wisely afforded by the required amounts of each food group are better for mother and baby.

The choice of foods that can make a difference in our health can be the first mime that we do to our baby. "Eating for two" does not have to be eating twice, but a responsible act, and entertaining, why not.

Before pregnancy

One of the most important nutrients during pregnancy are folic acid, or its variant in the form of medication, folic acid. Folate, also known as vitamin B9, is present in green leafy vegetables like spinach or lettuce, legumes such as beans, seeds of sunflower and in yeast, among others. Also found in fortified foods and dietary supplements.

His greatest beneficial effect associated with pregnancy is that it prevents birth defects, especially those of the spine (spina bifida) and brain (anencephaly), called neural tube defects. Other malformations that are preventable and cleft lip and palate. How are you malformations usually develop about 28 days after conception, before many women realize that it will become mothers, it is desirable to have good stocks of folic acid before becoming pregnant. Three months before you start looking for the baby is a good time to start worrying about folate or folic acid.

In addition, a recent study suggests that taking folic acid before conception is associated with a reduction of between 50 and 70% in the incidence of spontaneous preterm birth. And the risk of spontaneous preterm birth is inversely proportional to the duration of folic acid supplementation before conception (ie the longer the supplementation with folic acid, less likely to have premature delivery).

A diet rich in folate

The folate RDA for an adult is about 400 micrograms. This amount is achieved by the food intake among them brewer's yeast, cereals in general, some vegetables such as cabbage, spinach or chard. To achieve the necessary folate, it would take take, for example, 10 g yeast, 200 g of grain or beef liver, or 300 g of spinach. Being somewhat high quantities, it is important to try to eat these foods in the best conditions, avoiding as far as possible the loss of folate during processing, storage or cooking of food.

In fact, the storage conditions or cooking of food can destroy some of their nutrients. Excessive exposure to light can make these foods lose more than 60% of the folate they contain. Moreover, being a water soluble vitamin, cooking can make the water pass folate, so that foods lose nutrients. The high temperatures increase the water solubility, so that losses can exceed 40%. To reduce the loss of vitamins, is recommended to cook vegetables steamed or boiled with water and consume too little cooking water.

Given the importance of folate during pregnancy in preventing serious birth defects, and because sometimes eating habits may be insufficient to ensure a optimal amounts of folic acid is usually recommended to women planning pregnancy take a vitamin supplement folic acid, at least three months before trying to conceive.

Good to know that certain medications can impair the absorption of folate or folic acid, and do we need a greater contribution. It may occur in some people taking commonly analgesics (acetylsalicylic acid-aspirin), antacids, cortisone, or birth control, among other drugs. For women planning a pregnancy, and who have been taking contraceptives for a prolonged period, you may want to worry a bit more to eat adequate amounts of folate, and consult your doctor about the advisability of taking vitamin supplements folic acid.

However, despite all the benefits attributed to folic acid, all is not rosy: foods fortified with folic acid is a matter of controversy, since there is no agreement on the amounts of the micronutrient that should contain, and also potential adverse effects are discovered. Thus, a study by Dartmouth Medical School and the Norris Cotton Cancer Center (United States) suggests that, unlike what was believed until now, folic acid supplementation may aggravate the risk of tumors colorectal benign. Something to keep in mind is that as we discover the benefits of folic acid supplementation may also know their disadvantages if consumed in high doses or for prolonged periods.