Can taking folic acid supplements one year before pregnancy prevent miscarriage?

A recent study in the United States found that women who take folic acid supplements before pregnancy can greatly reduce the risk of premature birth, and the duration of taking folic acid should not be less than one year. Folic acid is one of the B vitamins. There are ready-made folic acid tablets, and folic acid can also be supplemented by eating spinach, lettuce, tomatoes, etc.

Researchers from the University of Texas reported in the Public Library of Science Medicine published on the 12th that they conducted a follow-up survey on approximately 35,000 pregnant women and their delivery situations.

The results showed that if women took folic acid supplements for at least 1 year before pregnancy, the risk of giving birth between 28 and 32 weeks of pregnancy would be reduced by 50%. The researchers emphasized that if women took folic acid for less than 1 year before pregnancy, their risk of premature birth would not be reduced.

Newborns born before 37 weeks of gestation are considered premature babies. Most premature babies weigh less than 2.5 kg, their organ systems are not yet fully developed, their functions are not sound, and their resistance is weak, so the survival rate of premature babies is lower than that of babies with a gestational age of nearly 40 weeks. In addition, premature babies are prone to respiratory diseases during their development, have poor learning abilities, and are developmentally delayed.

According to statistics, 12% of newborns in the United States are premature. Previous studies have found that low folic acid levels in mothers are one of the causes of premature birth.

Folic acid is one of the B vitamins and is an essential vitamin for the human body. Its most important function is to produce red blood cells and white blood cells and enhance immunity. Medical experts have always recommended that women take additional folic acid supplements three months before pregnancy to greatly reduce the risk of neurological defects in infants.