When my husband and I decided to start trying for a baby we followed all of the recommended steps. We went to a pre-conception check-up, started trying to adopt a healthier lifestyle, had heartfelt discussions about our parenting philosophies, and I started taking pre-natal vitamins and folic acid thinking it could never be too soon. I religiously took my vitamins and folic acid for months and months until I began to feel silly. I began to slack off a bit on taking the vitamins every day since even the simple act of ingesting a prenatal vitamin made me feel like a fraud. I began to ask myself why I was even pretending that I would actually get pregnant and need folic acid or anything prenatal.
Fast forward a couple of years and I had definitely stopped taking vitamins on a regular basis and didn’t take folic acid at all. I knew the benefits of both vitamins and folic acid for an unborn child but I was in full force pity party mode and was definitely not optimistic that there would ever actually be a child. When in my IVF class, the doctors and nurses off-handedly said and of course you are all taking folic acid, I nodded my head and began to panic. Why, oh why did I stop taking it or not even begin to take them when I knew we were going to pursue IVF. Now, I was adding to my worries and fears that it was now too late (the doctor had mentioned taking it ideally for three months prior to conceiving) and that my IVF would fail because I was lazy and irresponsible.
I began to take it immediately but by that time I had learned more about the benefits of folic acid and the resounding consensus that it should be taken by anyone planning to conceive prior to conception. Since we were enrolled in our IVF class when I was reminded about the importance of folic acid, IVF was right around the corner and we had less than a month before the hopeful “conception” would take place. I learned that 400 milligrams taken daily prior to conception and in early pregnancy could reduce the risk of neural tube defects in the baby by up to seventy percent. I wasn’t willing to put off our IVF cycle any longer, but I was concerned that I didn’t have the recommended amount of time taking folic acid. I began to eat spinach and broccoli and orange juice and take the supplement and vowed to be the picture of healthy eating prior to the IVF cycle and throughout the pregnancy.
Once I actually did get pregnant I continued to take folic acid in addition to a prenatal vitamin daily for the first three months. Sometimes getting those pills down was unbelievably difficult, but I was convinced that taking them throughout the pregnancy was absolutely imperative. I wish that I had been that steadfast in my belief of taking them prior to conception. Luckily, our babies were born healthy and not taking folic acid did not have adverse effects. Nevertheless, the benefits are proven and there is definitely no harm in giving your body the vitamins and nutrition it needs even if you are not yet pregnant. If you are planning to conceive, or even if you are just planning on trying to conceive go ahead and start getting healthy and include a folic acid supplement (and foods with folic acid and iron) in your diet – you won’t regret it.
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