PreventionSupplementary folic acid taken during pregnancy can greatly reduce the risk of spina bifida and other neural tube defects(NTDs). Because the neural tube forms early in pregnancy and closes by the 28th day is critical to have enough folic acid in your system during the early weeks of pregnancy to prevent spina bifida. It is recommended to women of childbearing age to supplement 400 micrograms of folic acid per day. Some foods that are high in folic acid are bread, pasta, rice, and many breakfast cereals. Sometimes folic acid is listed on nutritional labels as folate, the natural form of folic acid found in foods. If you are actively trying to conceive, doctors recommend folic acid over folate because your body absorbs folic acid more easily. Folic acid deficiencies have also been linked to other birth abnormalities such as cleft lip, cleft palate, and some congenital heart defects.
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Foods rich in Folic Acid and Folate
Vegetables
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Fruits
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Others
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