Healthy Pregnancy

Folic Acid

Your baby's brain, skull and spine form during the first few weeks of pregnancy, before you even know you are expecting! In order for them to form properly, you must have enough folic acid.

Important Facts

What is folic acid?
Folic acid is one of the B vitamins important for healthy growth of your unborn baby. It is essential to the normal development of your baby’s spine, brain and skull, especially during the first four weeks of your pregnancy. It is, therefore, important to start taking vitamin supplements with folic acid before you get pregnant to reduce the risk of neural tube defects.

What are neural tube defects?
Neural Tube Defects (NTDs) are birth defects that occur when the neural tube fails to close properly during the early weeks of pregnancy, resulting in abnormalities of the spine, brain or skull that can result in stillbirth or lifelong disability. Closure of the neural tube happens early in pregnancy, often before a woman knows she is pregnant. Spina bifida is the most common NTD.

Take a folic acid supplement daily.
All women who could become pregnant should take a multivitamin containing 0.4 mg of folic acid every day. To help reduce the risk of NTDs, you should start taking the vitamin supplement at least three months before you get pregnant and continue through the first three months of your pregnancy. Talk to your health professional to find the best supplement for you.

Eat a balanced diet.
Taking a vitamin supplement does not reduce or replace the need for a healthy, well-balanced diet according to Canada’s Food Guide. Good or excellent sources of folic acid (called folate when it is naturally occurring in foods) include dark green vegetables (broccoli, spinach, peas and brussel sprouts), corn, dried peas, beans, lentils, oranges and orange juice. Whole grain breads and foods fortified with folic acid also provide significant amounts of the vitamin.

Some women are more at risk of having a baby with an NTD.
If you have had a previous NTD-affected pregnancy, or have a family history of this problem, see your doctor. You may be advised to take a higher dosage of folic acid. If you have diabetes, obesity or epilepsy, you may be at higher risk of having a baby with an NTD, and you should see your doctor before planning a pregnancy.

Next Steps

You should start taking a daily multivitamin with 0.4 mg of folic acid before planning a pregnancy. Talk to your doctor or pharmacist about which multivitamin would be best for you.

Make an effort to eat more foods that are good sources of folic acid (or folate).

If you are more at risk of having a baby with an NTD, see your doctor before you plan a pregnancy to discuss your options.

For more information

• Folic Acid, 2008 Information Update
• Common Questions: Folic Acid
• Canada’s Food Guide
• Public Health Agency of Canada's Folic Acid Program
• More links on folic acid
• March of Dimes
• Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Canada
• Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Quebec
• Folic Acid Alliance of Ontario