For many young (and not so) couples, the question of procreation today is very urgent. It is much more difficult for a modern woman to get pregnant, endure and give birth to a healthy baby than, say, her grandmother. The situation can be corrected in reproductive health clinics, but women resort to IVF only as a last resort. Many people believe in folk remedies, sit on special "fertility diets", measure basal temperature and drink folic acid to get pregnant. The last method today is recommended even by gynecologists. Let's see if folic acid really helps to get pregnant.
The effect of folic acid on conception
Folic acid, it is also vitamin B9, or folacin, is indispensable for the normal functioning of the body. It participates in protein metabolism, supports immunity, improves the work of the gastrointestinal tract, promotes the production of "happiness hormones" and normal blood formation. But most importantly - folic acid plays a crucial role in the synthesis of DNA, which, as is known, is the carrier of hereditary information. Folacin is necessary for the formation of healthy eggs in the body of a woman and mobile spermatozoa in the male body.
Scientists have proved another interesting fact: the action of vitamin B9 is very similar to the action of female sex hormones of estrogens. Therefore, folic acid is often prescribed in the absence of menstruation.
Folic acid in pregnancy planning
To explain how folic acid affects conception and helps with infertility, doctors can not yet. Yes, and recommend taking folic acid, not because it helps to get pregnant. It's all about the ability of folacin to prevent severe malformations of the fetus (hydro- and anencephaly, hernia of the brain, spina bifida and hare lip). These abnormalities occur at the earliest stages of pregnancy (16-28 days after conception), when the future mother may not even know about her new position. Meanwhile, almost every second woman suffers from a lack of vitamin B9, so gynecologists recommend starting folic acid intake at the stage of preparation for pregnancy, at least 2-3 months before the alleged conception.
In addition, the body's need for folic acid before pregnancy increases if you:
- take oral contraceptives;
- suffer from epilepsy, diabetes mellitus or problems with the gastrointestinal tract;
- adhere to a protein diet or lack a plant food;
- You drink alcohol.
How much folic acid is needed for conception?
Despite the fact that folic acid enters the body with food, and in small amounts is synthesized in the intestine, we almost always experience its deficiency. That's why doctors recommend that in the period before conception take at least 0.8 mg of folic acid per day. This dose covers the daily requirement of the future mother's body in vitamin B9.
To increase the chances of success, you can and should include in your diet foods rich in folic acid: bread from wholemeal, spinach, parsley, lettuce, peas, beans, liver, citrus, broccoli, nuts, pumpkin. However, the most part (up to 90%) of vitamin B9 is destroyed during heat treatment, therefore, in addition it is necessary to take medications containing folic acid. These can be multivitamins for pregnant women or ordinary folic acid tablets.
Do not be afraid of an overdose: to seriously damage the body, you need to drink at least 30 tablets of folacin at a time. Even if you slightly exceed the dose, the vitamin will be excreted from the body without any consequences. However, if you suffer from a deficiency of vitamin B12, be careful and accurately follow the dosage.