Is it Beneficial for Pregnant Women to Take Folic Acid Every Night?

During pregnancy, pregnant women need to appropriately increase their intake of foods with high nutritional value, as this can help maintain a balanced diet for their bodies. In addition, to ensure adequate nutrition, many pregnant women also need to take additional dietary supplements, such as folic acid, which is a vitamin commonly chosen by pregnant women. However, there are certain limitations regarding the timing of taking these supplements. Is it okay for pregnant women to take folic acid every night? Folic acid should be taken daily, and there is no specific time requirement. It is recommended to take it at a consistent time each day. Folic acid is crucial for pregnant women, as a lack of folic acid can increase the risk of fetal malformations by five times compared to pregnant women with sufficient folate levels. If folic acid is deficient during early pregnancy, it can cause neural tube defects in the fetus.

After four months of pregnancy, calcium supplementation should be started. During pregnancy, it is essential to avoid being picky with food and to have a diverse and balanced diet. Consume high-quality protein foods, fruits, and vegetables, and avoid alcohol, coffee, smoking, and exposure to toxic substances and radiation sources.

1. Preventing anemia in pregnant women: The body of pregnant women needs folic acid to produce normal red blood cells. Surveys have shown that the prevalence of anemia among Chinese women of reproductive age is 20.6%. Insufficient intake of folic acid can also lead to anemia in pregnant women.

2. Preventing congenital malformations in babies: Taking folic acid tablets can reduce the risk of birth defects such as congenital heart disease in fetuses.

3. Preventing neural tube defects: Neural tube defects are a common congenital malformation in newborns in China. If women take the recommended dose of folic acid every day for at least one month before conception and during the first three months of pregnancy, the risk of neural tube defects in their babies can be reduced by 50%-70%.

4. Promoting placental development: Folic acid affects the basic structure of DNA and cells. Therefore, obtaining sufficient folic acid is particularly important for the rapidly growing placenta and fetus.

5. Preventing preeclampsia in pregnant women: Taking a multivitamin containing folic acid can reduce the risk of preeclampsia in pregnant women.