Needed during pregnancy to form the brain of a foetus and to close the end of its spinal cord
Folic acid: a synthetic form used to make supplements
• Heat stable, but some loss during cooking • Destroyed by alkalis, oxygen and light
Other sources
In pregnancy, women are advised to take daily folic acid supplements (400 µg) for 12 weeks prior to conception and 12 weeks after
Effects of deficiency
Neural tube defects (NTD) in the foetus. For example:
• spina bifida occurs when the base of the spine fails to close, causing paralysis of the lower limbs
• anencephaly occurs when the top of the spine fails to close, and the brain, skull and scalp do not develop. A baby with this condition is not likely to survive.
Works with vitamin B12 (cobalamin) to form red blood cells
Maintains the immune system by helping the white blood cells to fight illness and infection
• Unaffected by acids
Spina bifida
Mild cases of deficiency will lead to feelings of tiredness or fatigue due to a lack of red blood cells. In severe cases anaemia may occur.
Increased susceptibility to illness and infection such as colds and flu
Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA)/Reference Intake (RI) Group Children
RDA/RI (µg)
Adolescents and adults Pregnant women Lactating women
100–200 µg 300 µg 500 µg 400 µg
? Give an account of folic acid/folate and refer to: • sources in the diet
• properties • biological functions • recommended dietary allowance (RDA) (now known as RI). (28) HL
Did you know
Taking folic acid before and during the early stages of pregnancy may reduce the risk of NTDs by up to 70%.
