Folic Acid Reduces Risks of Having Fetus Affected With Neural Tube Defects

Abstract

The dietary folate and serum folate concentrations averaged 293 micrograms/day and 8.1 ng/ml, respectively. The former is the first report based on the 5th standard table of food composition in Japan. Majority of pregnant women took less dietary folate than what recommended by the government. Those who are capable of becoming pregnant are recommended to consume much of the 3rd food group and those who are planning to become pregnant are recommended to take 400 micrograms of folic acid supplements from 4 weeks before to 12 weeks after conception.

The folate status of reproductive-aged women in a randomised trial of a folate-fortified oral contraceptive: dietary and blood assessments

“…Blood folate markers include plasma folate, a measure of recent intake, and RBC folate, which reflects long-term folate stores in the RBC. Correlations between FFQ and plasma folate levels in women range from 0?186 to 0?63 (12,(31)(32)(33)(34)(35)(36)(37)(38) , and from 0?00 to 0?28 between FFQ and RBC folate values (34,35) . These FFQ request information on the consumption of eighty-four (32) to 145 (37) food items for up to 1 year of recall (12,31,32) .…”