Take more folic acid, pregnant women are told

Pregnant woman are being advised to take folic acid for their entire pregnancy and while breastfeeding under new guidelines.

Up to now, HSE advice was that a woman should take folic acid at least three months before getting pregnant and up to the 12th week of pregnancy.

But the revised guidelines from the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists say all women planning a pregnancy, or likely to become pregnant, should take a daily supplement of 400 micrograms of folic acid before conception and continue it throughout pregnancy and lactation.

Folic acid reduces the risk of having a baby with a neural tube defect and also helps the woman not become anaemic.

Some women may require higher doses if they have already had a baby with a birth defect or are obese.

The guidelines state pregnant women and women planning pregnancy should eat a wide variety of whole foods that will provide the nourishment mother and baby need for growth. This includes vegetables and fruit, wholegrain carbohydrates, lean protein foods and healthy fats.

Some nutrients are particularly important including iron, calcium, vitamin D and long chain omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids.

Pregnant women should also take additional supplementation of vitamin D3. 10mcg is recommended daily during pregnancy, along with 16-20mg of iron to support intakes of key nutrients.

A pregnancy multivitamin is a simple way to achieve this.

Dr Eileen O’Brien, senior dietitian at National Maternity Hospital, said pregnant women should eat no more than two fish meals a week and just have one serving of oily fish. “We have used Irish and international evidence to revise these guidelines which will streamline nutrition advice across services,” she said.

Source: Read Full Article