Benefits of Folic Acid

If you want to become pregnant there are numerous issues that you should shed light on. One of those the prime things to take care of, while you are pregnant or if you are planning of conceiving, are to consume folic acid. It is extremely important for the mental well being of your baby, since deficiency can lead to a condition known as NTD, abbreviation for neural tube defects. There are two types of neural tube defects which go by the names of;

Anencephaly - this is a disorder of the brain that comes about in the twenty third week of pregnancy. In this particular defect a major part of the brain is unable to close which leads to loss of the majority of the brain. A baby born with this disease has the frontal section however the remaining part of the brain is exposed and usually the survival rate is close to nil.

Spina bifida - this particular disease has to do with the embryonic neural tube which is located near to the spinal cord. A major portion of the spinal membrane is unable to close and is usually exposed. Though it can be treated by taking folic acid or through surgery, most of the children born with this are unable to survive.

So if you are planning to conceive, folic acid foods can help diminish the chances of this particular disease showing up in your child. Pregnant women are advised to consume foods with high quantity of folic acid, at least four times a week during their pregnancy time period. Its main purpose in fetus development is the development of the neural bones. This is why a folic acid deficiency leads to incomplete development of neural bones in the brain and spinal cord area.

Its benefits are uncountable when talking about catering to the different defects that can be present in your child. A few of the benefits include:

• If helps to reduce the chances of cleft lip and palate
• The chances of miscarriage are prevented
• It also reduces chances of high blood pressure during pregnancy
• It helps the mother to recover quickly after giving birth
• It also decreases the chances of cancers and heart related diseases

If you aren't aware of how important folic acid is, you should consult your doctor immediately and learn more about it. Also try to get all the information you can on folic acid side effects.

Credit : Munira A