My first pregnancy was a total surprise. Since I wasn’t planning on having children anytime soon I didn’t know anything about pregnancy or folic acid. I had to learn what was okay to eat and what wasn’t. My doctor recommended a multivitamin with folic acid, and I made sure to take it. Several years later when I was planning a pregnancy, I learned that it was important to take folic acid before getting pregnant in order to prevent birth defects. I started taking a supplement right away.
Since then I’ve learned that if a woman is planning a baby or actively trying to conceive, it is recommended that she speak to her doctor about taking a prenatal vitamin with higher levels of folic acid and iron, like Nestlé Materna, at least 12 weeks before becoming pregnant. For someone like me who became pregnant very easily, it would have been better to just take a multi-vitamin with folic acid all of the time while I was still considering having more children. It would have provided me with a little more peace of mind!
Women can learn more about the pre-natal and post-natal care at NestléBaby.ca and materna.ca/healthystart. The Nestle Baby Program provides information on maternal nutrition, nursing tips, and health and wellness during pregnancy and beyond. Other reliable resources for information include the Society of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of Canada, Health Canada and the Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus Association of Canada.
These sites will share important information for prospective parents, such as the suggestion that a multi-vitamin is a smart way to help ensure good nutrition but it should complement a well-balanced, nutrient-rich diet.
The new Nestlé Materna Prenatal Poll shows that only 13 per cent of women polled think women should take a multi-vitamin with folic acid 12 weeks before they become pregnant and 55 per cent said women should only take folic acid when they are trying to get pregnant.
This is concerning because half of all pregnancies are unplanned. Even planned pregnancies often aren’t detected until at least four weeks into the pregnancy. This means that crucial time is missed for taking folic acid to prevent neural tube defects. Neural tube defects occur very early in pregnancy and can lead to abnormalities of the skull, brain and spinal cord. In Canada, the most common of these is spina bifida. The survey also showed that Canadian women are more likely to take good care of themselves with their first pregnancy than with subsequent pregnancies. I can’t say this surprises me. We tend to be more diligent when it’s the first time and we are just learning, and when you have young children to take care of during pregnancy, it’s hard to focus on yourself! Each baby is equally loved and significant though, so we need to focus on providing the best chance for health for each of them.
This is important information for new and experienced parents, so please feel free to pass it along!
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