Folic Acid – How much folic acid should your spouse take?

How much folic acid should your spouse take?

Following are the conditions outlined by the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services which will help you determine how much folic acid your spouse should take. 

• She is able to get pregnant. She should take 400 mcg of folic acid every day


• She is pregnant. She should take 600mcg of folic acid every day.


• She is breastfeeding. She should take 500mcg of folic acid every day


• She has had a baby with spina bifida or anencephaly and wants to get pregnant again. She should talk with her doctor, and ask for a prescription for a higher dose of folic acid. She should take 4,000 micrograms (4,000 mcg) starting at least one to three months before getting pregnant and during the first 3 months of pregnancy. That’s 10 times the normal amount! But don’t let her try to get the larger amount by taking more than one multivitamin or prenatal vitamin a day. She could get too much of another vitamin that could harm her or the baby


• You spouse has had a baby with spina bifida or anencephaly. She is not planning to have another baby. She should take 400 mcg of folic acid every day.