To find out they are pregnant, most pregnant women start immediately mark of vitamins and supplements pregnancy. Folic acid is recommended for pregnant women because it helps prevent the developmental defects of the spinal column and neural among newborns. Now, research indicates that this nutrient may also reduce the risk of giving birth to a child with autism.
The Journal of the American Medical Association recently published a study by researchers at the Norwegian Institute of Public Health. The study, which examined more than 85,000 children across the country, found that the consumption of folic acid during the 4 weeks before pregnancy and the first 8 weeks of pregnancy significantly reduces the risk of autism.
The results should influence parents to add an additional step in their plans for pregnancy. Women should consume 400 micrograms of folic acid at least a month before trying to get pregnant, and take another 600 micrograms once the nine months begin officially.
The prenatal vitamins include most up to 800 micrograms of folic acid, and there are many foods such as lentils, spinach, broccoli, asparagus and citrus fruits are also highly concentrated in folic acid. However, the researchers point out that the only foods do not provide enough folic acid - the body absorbs the vitamins more efficiently. Therefore, doctors recommend a good balance between the two.