Folic Acid And Iodine Supplementation Speeds Up Conception Rate

Ensuring a sufficient supply of folic acid (folate) is vital for any woman who wants to become pregnant. A deficiency of this vitamin during pregnancy can lead to serious neural tube defects in the fetus, potentially resulting in miscarriage. As neural tube defects can occur before a woman is even aware she is pregnant, all women of childbearing age should take at least 400 mcg of folic acid daily regardless of whether they are pregnant or not. Additional benefits of this micronutrient include reducing the risk of anemia and cardiovascular birth defects and preventing intrauterine growth retardation of the baby.

Iodine deficiency during pregnancy is also an important public health issue. Research shows it is the leading preventable cause of neurodevelopmental impairments worldwide. With mild-to-moderate deficiency common in many countries, there is growing recognition that supplemental iodine should be given during pregnancy in order to ensure sufficient levels.

To learn more about the importance of micronutrients during pregnancy, read parts one and two of the special pregnancy feature article on our website.