Folic acid
Folic acid is converted to tetrahydrofolate (THF). Green, leafy vegetables are a good source of folic acid.
Functions
Causes of folic acid deficiency:
Consequences of folic acid deficiency:
Prevention of neural tube defects (NTD) during pregnancy:
Functions
- THF plays a key role in the transfer of 1-carbon units (e.g. methyl, methylene, and formyl groups) to the essential substrates involved in the synthesis of DNA & RNA
Causes of folic acid deficiency:
- phenytoin
- methotrexate
- pregnancy
- alcohol excess
Consequences of folic acid deficiency:
- macrocytic, megaloblastic anaemia
- neural tube defects
Prevention of neural tube defects (NTD) during pregnancy:
- all women should take 400mcg of folic acid until the 12th week of pregnancy
- women at higher risk of conceiving a child with a NTD should take 5mg of folic acid until the 12th week of pregnancy
- women are considered higher risk if any of the following apply:
- → either partner has a NTD, they have had a previous pregnancy affected by a NTD, or they have a family history of a NTD
- → the woman is taking antiepileptic drugs or has coeliac disease, diabetes, or thalassaemia trait.
- → the woman is obese (defined as a body mass index [BMI] of 30 kg/m2 or more).