I attended a women's health lecture last week and learned something new. While most of us have now heard that one of the reason for taking pre-natal vitamins is to up our folic acid intake - in order to prevent spina bifida and other issues.
However, our MD speaker indicated that now, research suggests that the benefit to both the mother and the baby is far more significant if the folic acid supplements are started up to a FULL YEAR PRIOR TO CONCEPTION.
Has anyone been advised of this by their OB?
Seems like something worth looking into/doing if you are thinking of having another in the next year or 2!!
Happy2BMommy, is a stay-at-home mom who just turned 40 (argh!) with a 6 yr. old daughter and a 4 yr. old son, and is a discussion leader for arizonamoms.com living in Scottsdale.
I remember hearing that you
I remember hearing that you should take it while trying to conceive, but I honestly don't remember if my doc said to to take before "trying." Our first - I was already married, ladies - was a bite of a surprise! So I didn't start before, but our second - planned - I did start taking early...maybe a month or two before really trying...definitely not a year, tho.
Folate is not the lone voice
Folate is not the lone voice in the preconception-prenatal wilderness. It’s just one of three amigos galloping along with B12 and Zinc. Together they form the neural tube; the size of this "C" - a done deal three weeks into gestation. Shortages of any of these nutrients can (inappropriate term) or impair the formation of the neural tube causing deformed vertabrae (spina bifida), cleft palate, and cerebral palsy (and other birth defects). (There is scientific evidence of an embyonic origin for autism.)
This is why it is critical to have a reserve of these nutrients prior ro conception. These nutrients rely on enzymatic activity from eachother for neural protein synthesis (building the cells of the neural tube) and Zinc which transcibes the DNA code.
Healthy ovum and sperm is a must to fulfill every couples dream of conceiving a healthy baby. All nutrients are critical prior to conception. Iodine feeds the maternal thyroid which is supplying energy to the developing embryo and fetal brain at the prodigious rate of 250,000 neurons per minute – Mother’s reservoir of energy is vital. Insufficient levels of vitamins, trace minerals, and essential fatty acids are conclusive in the cord blood of premature and low birth weight babies. These little ones are at high risk for permanent neurological impairment.
Eating a bounty of organic fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, legumes, whole grains, bran and germ, free range animals and fish as well as healthy fats can cut the risk of infertility, miscarraiges, and problematic pregnancies. Remember that folate means foliage, green leafy plants. Most American diets fall short. Once the baby begins to develop, the requirement for folate more than doubles.
At our clinic we suggest couples planning pregnancy wait four months prior to conception. We check for nutritional imbalances, exposure to infections, toxins, etc. It may be necessary to wait another four months.
http://www.foresight-preconception.org.uk/
http://iluminahealing.com/ Opening in 10 days.
Jan Katzen-Luchenta
Author - Nutrition for Learning:Feeding the Starving Brain - Foresight nutritional counselor- Montessori educator - www.nutritionforlearning.com
Wow very informative. I
Wow very informative. I wish I had someone like you attending me. I went to my docs and told them we were thinking of ttc and they looked at me like I was crazy. Like 'what you telling me for - go ahead'. But exactly the things you pp menition are what I wish they would of told me or checked for. I am now 3 months pregnant, started taking prenatals a short time before ttc hopefully baby had all it needed.
Also, thanks for sharing that the babies folate needs grow, since so much enfasis is given to taking folic acid before conception for the 1st trimester of formation etc. makes me think it wasn't quite important later but this gives me more motivation to take my prenatals consitently (3 a day). Thanks!