I just wanted to mention something I'm sure (or hope) everyone on this list already knows - you must take multi-vitamins with 400 mg of folic acid, for a minimum of several months before conception. Of course, everyone should for general good health, anyway.
Prenatal vitamins *after* conception will not prevent neural tube defects. I'm curious to know if most of your OBGYN and fertility specialists have recommended this? I hope 100% of them have!
When my niece was born with Spina Bifida 10 years ago, we were sitting in the hospital, reading all this literature about the most common cause of Spina Bifida being a folic acid deficiency prior to pregnancy. My sister's pregnancy was planned, and she had no idea that this was common knowledge in the medical community. This information should have been, and should be now, prominent in every OBGYN's office. Is it???
i think it's 400 mcg. that is a very important post and something we should all remember. also, if you have had a child with a neural tube defect, for subsequent pregnancies they recommend a much larger amount of folic acid. but i can't remember what it is.
rayray, i've been taking mine for 3 months. mine has 1 mg of folic acid per pill. i'm sure you're ok as long as you are taking them at the time you concieve.
my obgyn just put me on them when i told her that my dh and were going to ttc.
Sorry...I had to go read my vitamin bottle...it is 400 mcg instead of 400mg.
I figured everyone here would be on top of things, and you are! I'd like to see huge, 5 x 8 foot posters in the OBGYN offices! I have not seen as much on the media as I'd like to see, either. Several years ago, the "Today Show" did a spot on it, and the doctor they interviewed recommended giving a bottle of folic acid to the bride as a *wedding gift*. Not a bad idea. ;-)
I have heard a lot about folic acid...could be because I already have one little rugrat that my antenae have just been up...I know that one of the major orange juice manufacturers in the US advertises that you should drink one glass a day to get your intake of folic acid.... I have always just taken a prenatal vitamin as my regular multi-vitamin..My mom is in her 60's and takes one as well--obviously nothing to do w/ being pregnant! LOL!
My ob/gyn said that a regular WOMEN's multi-vitamin has the right dose of folic acid. I asked if I needed to take extra and she said nope! Hope this helps!
I have been taking folic acid since we started ttc which was a year ago, before ttc i went into my doctors and asked for all the info they could give me on pregnancy, i came out with 2 A4 books, 5 leaflets, two of these had info on how much FA to take and also what foods contain this, which ones to stay away from whilst pg and which ones to eat more of. I thought my doctors were great, but thanx for the warning.
Folic Acid...I'm sure everyone knows... 
