Folic acid: a miracle solution for getting pregnant?

Are you pregnant or trying to conceive? You've certainly heard of folic acid. This mysterious supplement is essential for boosting your fertility and ensuring a healthy pregnancy.

Why do we call it a supplement? Because your body doesn't produce it. So, you need to get folic acid from food or supplements.

We'll explain exactly how folic acid works, how to choose the right supplements, and best practices to increase your chances of getting pregnant. Let's go.

Folic acid for getting pregnant: does it really work?

What exactly is folic acid?

When we talk about folic acid, we're actually referring to synthesized vitamin B9, a family of molecules that all have the same function.

Vitamin B9 is found:

• in food, in its natural form called folate,

• in dietary supplements in its synthesized form, folic acid.

This vitamin is involved in cell growth and renewal: it plays a key role in your health and is particularly important when trying to conceive.

Folic acid is systematically prescribed at the beginning of a pregnancy, but it is also essential for your fertility. You may know that conception is all about cells! Vitamin B9, in its natural or synthetic form, helps improve the quality of your cells, especially sex gametes: egg and sperm.

What are the benefits of folic acid?

Folic acid has many advantages.

Before pregnancy, during preconception:

• It improves the quality of cells involved in fertilization.

• It has a beneficial antioxidant effect on the development and growth of your oocytes.

• It participates in DNA synthesis and cell division.

• It helps prevent neural tube defects that appear very early in pregnancy (incomplete development of the spinal column).

Folic acid therefore has a dual role: boosting fertility and ensuring the proper development of the embryo.

If you've already read our articles on the menstrual cycle, you know that after the oocyte is expelled by the ovary (ovulation), a corpus luteum remains that produces progesterone. This is the hormone that governs the entire second part of your menstrual cycle. It is extremely important because it supports fertilization and creates the right conditions for the embryo to develop properly in the early stages of pregnancy.

And guess what? Folic acid is essential for secreting enough progesterone. A vitamin B9 deficiency can therefore explain why you may have difficulty getting pregnant.

During pregnancy

Folic acid is systematically prescribed during the 9 months of pregnancy. It is particularly essential in the first few weeks to support cell division and embryo development.

"Vitamin B9 is involved in cell growth and renewal. Its presence in sufficient quantities is particularly important during the first weeks of pregnancy. It helps prevent malformations of the embryonic nervous system (called the neural tube), which can have very serious consequences on brain development (anencephaly) and the spinal cord (spina bifida)." Anses, All about vitamin B9, 2024

A vitamin B9 deficiency is detected quite early in pregnancy, generally within the first 4 weeks. If not managed, the baby is at risk of growth retardation and prematurity, and the mother also experiences greater fatigue, headaches, or digestive problems, among others.

Folic acid for getting pregnant: what scientists say

The effectiveness of folic acid is well established. The Haute Autorité de Santé (French National Authority for Health) already ruled on the matter in 2002 and defined the systematic prescription modalities for pregnant women. Folic acid supplements not only help you get pregnant, but also enable healthier embryonic development.

If supplementation is now essential, it is notably because vitamin B9 deficiency is widespread:

“75% of women of childbearing age suffer from a moderate vitamin B9 deficiency due to insufficient dietary intake. 7% of them have a severe deficiency.” Dr Fabien Duval, Reproductive and Developmental Biology

Let's not hesitate any longer and trust our doctor when they talk about folic acid!

Folic acid guide for getting pregnant

Folic acid found in food

Before scouring supplement websites, start by adapting your diet. Some foods are particularly rich in folate. Vitamin B9 is also much more effective in its natural form than in its synthesized form.

You can find it in:

• egg yolk,

• liver,

• goat cheese,

• lentils,

• white beans,

• whole starches,

• red fruits and citrus fruits.

Go for it! The government reminds us that there is no risk of vitamin B9 overdose.

If you are pregnant, make sure to consume only foods authorized during this period. Supplementation remains essential: the vitamin intake from food is not sufficient.

How to choose your folic acid?

Folic acid supplements are prescribed by a doctor, midwife, or gynecologist. Generally, they are offered in a methylated form: the vitamin has undergone a chemical transformation that promotes its absorption by the body. This is also called methylfolate. We strongly recommend choosing this type of folic acid, as your body does not need to transform the vitamin itself to assimilate it: less work for it, better results for you.

Most folic acid supplements are also offered as complete vitamins with other co-factors: zinc and vitamin B12, for example. This is a good thing! You need them to boost your fertility!

With all the supplement offers on the market, you might feel a bit lost. Don't panic. Take the time to read product labels carefully and always ask a healthcare professional for advice.

Tips for taking folic acid

Regarding timing, the French National Authority for Health recommends starting to take folic acid at least 4 weeks before trying to conceive, and for at least 2 months.

" For women without a particular history who wish to conceive, systematic supplementation is recommended, but at a lower dose of 0.4 mg/day. To be effective, this prevention must be started 4 weeks before conception and continued for 8 weeks after it." Haute Autorité de Santé

If you have no trouble conceiving, you will always be advised to take the lowest effective dose of folic acid, until the end of pregnancy. Supplement intake can continue until the end of breastfeeding if you choose to breastfeed.

By default, the generally prescribed doses are:

• 600 µg / day preconception,

• 40 µg / day for pregnant women.

Higher doses of folic acid are reserved for women who have difficulty getting pregnant or a history of complex pregnancies: miscarriage, neural tube defect, or other congenital anomalies.

Above all, do not self-medicate! Even if you have been pregnant before, know your body, or are used to dietary supplements, it is your doctor's responsibility to determine the correct dosage.

Baby plans: some tips for getting pregnant more easily

How to identify your fertility window?

If you're trying to conceive, the game changer is knowing when your body is truly ready to carry a pregnancy. In other words: identifying your fertility window, those key days when conception is possible.

Quick bio fact: your egg only lives for 24 hours after ovulation. However, sperm can survive up to 5 days in your reproductive tract. The result? Unprotected intercourse 2 or 3 days BEFORE ovulation can absolutely lead to pregnancy. Clever, right?

To pinpoint this strategic time, it is essential to know your cycle well. Symptothermal method is particularly interesting: it relies on observing several bodily signals such as temperature, cervical position, and especially... cervical mucus.

At the time of ovulation, it is produced in large quantities, very moist, stringy, sometimes compared to raw egg white. Impossible to miss. And it's no coincidence: it's there to facilitate the survival and progression of sperm. Your body literally does everything to help them find their way.

What lifestyle for getting pregnant?

We'd like to tell you that a dietary supplement is enough, but fertility is a matter of overall balance. The fertility center at Cochin-Port Royal Hospital reminds us: lifestyle plays a central role in the chances of conception.

Some key pillars to keep in mind:

• quitting smoking, which increases the risk of miscarriage and impairs fertility,

• limited alcohol consumption, as it disrupts cycles and ovulation quality,

• taking medication only on the recommendation of a healthcare professional,

• reducing ultra-processed foods, too high in sugar, salt, or fat,

• a maximum of 2 cups of coffee per day (yes, we know, it's sometimes tough),

• at least 30 minutes of physical activity per day, to support your metabolism and hormonal balance.

Nothing revolutionary, but a good reminder: your body needs gentleness, regularity, and energy to feel safe... and open the door to pregnancy.

What if your partner lent a hand?

Spoiler alert: making a baby is a two-person job. And folic acid doesn't just concern women. Vitamin B9 also plays a key role in spermatogenesis, which is the production of sperm.

A deficiency can affect their quantity, motility, and increase cellular abnormalities. In other words, men also need to watch their diet (and supplements).

The recommendations are therefore largely the same:

• an adapted diet rich in micronutrients,

• regular physical activity,

• quitting smoking, which impairs sperm quality and can cause erectile dysfunction,

• reasonable alcohol consumption.

Come on, let's stop putting all the mental load of fertility on just one person. Trying for a baby is a team effort!

We hope we've answered all your questions about folic acid. It's a real boost if you're trying to conceive or are in your first weeks of pregnancy. Trust your gynecologist if he or she recommends a dietary supplement.

Want to become an expert on the menstrual cycle to maximize your chances? Here are 5 books on the cycle, approved by the Puissante team!