How much folate should I take if I’m pregnant or trying to conceive?

Because of this, multiple studies have shown that supplementation with folate reduces the risk of preterm birth, low birth weight, and developmental birth defects like cleft lip and palate, and neural tube defects (NTDs) like spina bifida. 

It has been known since the early 1990s that a supplement containing folic acid can help reduce NTDs – which occur in the early stages of pregnancy when the neural tube does not form properly and prevents the normal development of the baby’s brain and spinal cord.  

The very first clinical trial in 1991 found that supplementation with folate can reduce the risk of NTDs in women with a previous pregnancy affected by NTD by 72% compared to those not taking folate. 

More recent research has also shown the importance of folate in aiding fertility and helping to conceive, with studies showing that supplementation can help increase the success rate of assisted reproductive technology (ART).  

A 2018 study testing the impact of Quatrefolic^® supplementation in couples with recurrent miscarriages and a history of infertility with repeated foetal loss, premature ovarian failure or abnormal sperm parameters, reported a pregnancy rate of 86.7% (26 out of 33 couples) – with 13 spontaneous pregnancies and 13 pregnancies with ART (assisted reproductive technology). In the study, men and women were supplemented with 800 micrograms (µg) per day of Quatrefolic ^® alongside zinc and a B vitamin complex. Most women in the trial had previously been unsuccessfully treated with a high-dose folic acid supplementation strategy of 5mg per day. The high success rate of pregnancies in the study demonstrates the effectiveness of bypassing the MTHFR polymorphism with a bioactive, lower dose of bioactive Quatrefolic^® rather than high-dose folic acid supplements. 

What dose of folate is recommended? 

Like all essential nutrients, humans cannot make folate and must instead get it from our diet.  

Because many pregnancies can be unplanned, and it is impossible to tell whether you are pregnant before at least the 5th or 6th week of gestation, many governments and health authorities recommend folate supplementation for sexually-active women of childbearing age. 

While the exact recommendations for folate intake can differ between countries, a 2016 report found that the majority (69.4 %) recommend a healthy diet plus a folic acid supplement of 400 µg/d from preconception (4-12 weeks) until the end of the first trimester of pregnancy (8-12 weeks). 

This is in line with recommendations from the World Health Organization (WHO), which recommends that all women, from the moment they begin trying to conceive until 12 weeks of gestation, should take a folic acid supplement (400 μg folic acid daily). These recommendations are mirrored in most countries, including Australia, Canada, Hong Kong, Iceland, Japan, Switzerland and the U.K.[Saut de retour à la ligne][Saut de retour à la ligne]Both the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) and U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) go a step further than this by including a recommendation for 400 micrograms (µg) of folic acid daily for all adults – and recommending higher levels during pregnancy and lactation.

Both the FDA and EFSA recommend that individuals who are pregnant should consume 600µg daily, while those who are breastfeeding should consume 500µg per day. 

Which form of folate should I take?

 

Choosing the supplement containing the active form of folate Quatrefolic^®, can be a great advantage when trying to conceive and during pregnancy and, since you are able to guarantee that you are taking the bioactive form of folate – known as 5-MTHF. 

By providing the natural and bioactive dose of folate directly, without the need for metabolization or multiple transformation steps, Quatrefolic^® is immediately available for use in the body.