Safe Food: What to eat and drink in pregnancy. Rosie Dodds

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СКАЧАТЬ if you suffer from epilepsy, it is important to see your doctor before taking a folic acid supplement. Better still talk to him or her before you become pregnant.

      Our bodies need folic acid (sometimes called folate) to make DNA. DNA carries the genetic information that controls the correct development and function of every single cell in our bodies. When you are pregnant, you need extra folic acid – especially in the first 12 weeks while your baby’s body is being formed.

      Insufficient folic acid at this time can contribute to problems with the neural tube of your developing baby. The neural tube develops in the very early weeks of pregnancy. It eventually forms your baby’s brain and spinal cord (the long bundle of nerves inside our backbones that connects our brains with the rest of our bodies). You may have seen, or heard, the abbreviation NTD – this stands for neural tube defect. The most common type of neural tube defect is spina bifida. If you decide to have an ultrasound scan during your pregnancy, your baby’s spine will be checked for signs of spina bifida.

      Although NTDs are rare, the UK government advises all pregnant women to take folic acid supplements and eat more foods rich in folic acid. Extra folic acid is particularly important for women who have already had a baby with a neural tube problem.

       Folic acid supplements

      Folic acid supplements are available on prescription from your GP or midwife. NHS prescriptions are free to pregnant women. If you are not pregnant, you may have to pay for your prescription. In this case, it is cheaper to buy a folic acid supplement from a chemist or supermarket. Ask the pharmacist for advice.

      Most folic acid supplements are small, white tablets. The recommended dose is 0.4mg each day. (This is sometimes written as 400μg, 400mcg or 400 microgrammes.) Much higher doses are given to women who have already had a baby with an NTD – ask your GP for guidance.

      As well as taking a folic acid supplement, increase the amount of folic acid in your diet. This is good advice for all women – pregnant or not! Remember that folic acid, like most vitamins, is easily destroyed by cooking. It is therefore best to steam, microwave or stir-fry vegetables rich in folic acid – or cook in the minimum of water. Don’t overcook!

       Planning a pregnancy?

      The government also advises that women planning to become pregnant should take folic acid supplements. This is because the neural tube develops during the first four weeks of pregnancy – when a woman may not realise she is pregnant. However, because many pregnancies are unplanned, this is not always possible. If you find yourself in this position, start taking a folic acid supplement as soon as possible, and increase the amount of folic acid in your diet. Remember that NTDs are relatively uncommon.

       Foods rich in folic acid (best first)

      

green leafy vegetables – brussels sprouts, spinach and broccoli

      

other vegetables – green beans, potatoes, cauliflower, peas and cabbage

      

tinned baked beans

      

citrus fruits – oranges, orange juice and grapefruit

      

fortified breakfast cereals (fortified means that extra nutrients have been added to the food – check the nutritional information chart on the packet)

      

bread – especially fortified bread (check the label) and wholemeal bread

      

yeast extract and beef extract

      

milk

       Vitamin B₁₂: another B group vitamin

      There are many B group vitamins. Eating a balanced diet will give us plenty of all of them – except perhaps for folic acid and vitamin B₁₂.

      Vitamin B₁₂ (or ‘cobalamin’) is needed, like folic acid, for the production of new cells – especially new red blood cells. It also contributes to a healthy nervous system and is involved in the making of fatty acids. Vitamin B₁₂ is therefore particularly important during pregnancy.

      Vitamin B₁₂ is found naturally only in foods that come from animals – meat, fish, eggs, milk and so on. It is also added to some breakfast cereals during their manufacture. It is very rare for women who eat animal foods to be deficient in vitamin B₁₂.

      Women who do not eat meat will probably still get enough vitamin B₁₂ from other animal foods, but women who do not eat any animal produce at all (a vegan diet) can become short of vitamin B₁₂. If you follow a vegan (or near vegan) diet, it is a good idea to eat plenty of fortified foods, and consider a B₁₂ supplement. Ask your family doctor or a pharmacist to recommend a suitable supplement.

       Foods rich in vitamin B₁₂ (best first)

      

lamb’s kidney

      

other meat – beef, pork, lamb, sausages

      

fish – such as cod, tinned sardines and pilchards

      

eggs

      

milk and hard cheese

      

breakfast cereals – only fortified ones (check the nutritional information chart on the carton)

      

soy ‘meat’ and soya milk are often fortified with vitamin B₁₂

       Vitamin A: harmful if you have too much

      We all need small amounts of vitamin A to keep our skin healthy. A balanced diet containing a range of fruit and vegetables, margarine and eggs will provide all the vitamin A we need. There is no need to take extra during pregnancy.

      It may be harmful to your developing baby to have too much vitamin A. There СКАЧАТЬ