WHAT IS FOLIC ACID?
Folic acid (C₁₉H₁₉N₇O₆) is a human-made form of folate, vitamin B9. Folate cannot be created by our bodies so we need to get it from our diet, Folic acid's name comes from the Latin word folium (leaf) as it's found in leafy vegetables.
Folic acid (C₁₉H₁₉N₇O₆⁻²) is converted into folate in the body. Folate can also be obtained naturally from a number of foods. Additionally, in some countries folic acid is added to foods such as rice, pasta, bread and cereals, a process known as folic acid fortification.
PREGNANCY & FOLIC ACID
In the first month of pregnancy, neural tube defects can occur. They happen when the neural tube, which forms the brain and spinal cord, doesn't develop or close properly. This can lead to conditions such as spina bifida.
Low levels of folate have been linked to neural tube defect (NTD) development. If women take folic acid supplements before and during early pregnancy it reduces the risk of NTDs by around 70%, 400 micrograms of folic acid daily is the recommended dosage.
The mechanism by which folate reduces NTD risk isn't confirmed. Folate is important for the synthesis of nucleic acids, the building blocks of DNA. Large quantities of nucleic acids are required by the developing neural tube for DNA replication, so folate deficiency may impact this.