I'm not meaning to be nasty at all but when people ask on here what they can do to improve their chances of getting preggers they keep getting advised to take folic acid. That's not stictly correct.
Folic acid is important to take to help prevent birth defects but, as far as I'm aware, it doesn't actually improve your chances of conceiving. I've had ivf treatment and you obviously get lots of advice and Dr's expert opinions and I was advised to take it but NOT to help me conceive but for the reasons I've mentioned (which are highlighted below).
http://kidshealth.org/parent/pregnancy_newborn/pregnancy/folic_acid.html
http://www.americanpregnancy.org/pregnancyhealth/folicacid.html
http://www.babyworld.co.uk/information/pregnancy/health/eating/folic_acid.asp
2007-02-20 05:30:18 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Pregnancy & Parenting ➔ Trying to Conceive
jilldaniel: these are studies that indicate that folic acid may help aid contraception in very specific cases of women who have ovulation problems. It's not the general advice I was meaning that well meaning people give on here to ANY woman wanting to conceive. It is interesting stuff though and thank you for the links.
2007-02-20 06:05:03 · update #1
Did I say contraception??!!! Doh! I meant conception. Now contraception, that's a completely different topic!! LOL
2007-02-20 06:20:44 · update #2
Yes i see your point,i have replied to people on here to start using folic acid but i have only stated it as a piece of advice to so that if they do fall pregnant they have done the right things ofcorse we cannot HELP people get pregnant fast anyway that is completely down to your body and all we are doing is giving advice as theres many natural things woman and couples get wrong while trying for a baby but i dont see why your making a big thing out of it if your trying to conceive yourself you will know all woman trying to conceive are advised to use folic acid it does no harm its only useful.Answers givin on here should never be sworn by anyway they are only other peoples accounts ofcorse the only good advice should be from a Doctor.I will continue to advise people who ask to use folic acid not to conceive but so they are well nourished.
2007-02-20 09:38:58 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I agree that folic acid itself does not help chances of conceiving and I think where the miscommunication comes in is that people give advise to others that taking a prenatal vitamin with folic acid can help you conceive. Yes a prenatal vitamin may help you conceive but it is not the folic acid that does it. People need to remember that they need to get themselves into the best physical ccondition to have a baby and the vitamins in a prenatal vitamin could aid in providing better nutrition and helping the body make itself healthy to conceive. There is nothing in a prenatal vitamin that is a fertility secret.. just make sure you are doing everything you can to make a healthy place for your baby.
2007-02-20 05:59:09 · answer #2 · answered by Mrs Adams 4 · 2⤊ 0⤋
You are right, technically. Folic acid *CAN* help with a pregnancy, not "getting pregnant".
However, knowing that many of these birth defects caused by lack of folic acid would spontaneously abort, sometimes without even the mother realizing this fact, it can be deemed that folic acid can help you 'maintain' the pregnancy at a very early stage, so perception wise, help you get pregnant.
2007-02-20 05:39:14 · answer #3 · answered by mom_of_ndm 5 · 0⤊ 1⤋
Well *in theory* all vitamins can both help and hinder conception. In that the human body works best when it is adequately nourished, but not consuming waay too much of any one thing. However, no folic acid doesn't specifically make it easier to conceive.
The other piece of information I see a million times is that pre-ejaculate contains 3 times as much sperm as ejaculate. Not only isn't that true, it doesn't make any sense. Yes there may sperm in pre-ejactulate but generally it isn't viable. The purpose of pre-ejaculate is to change the pH of the ureter so that the sperm can pass through safely.
2007-02-20 05:49:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
im sure the people that advise women ttc to take folic acid are not telling them to do it out of stupidity, they just got a bit mixed up between good for conceiving and good to do before you concieve... being told to take folic acid before conceiving is good advice, the same advice given to you by your gp so if it is good for concieving or not it is still good advice that a lot of women dont know about so people should carry on advising women asking about ttc to take folic acid
2007-02-20 05:51:18 · answer #5 · answered by irish_jipper 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I've noticed that, too! Folic acid is awesome to take before and after you get pregnant but soley for prevention of defects, not for fertility.
2007-02-20 05:34:04 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
,great question, great advice, any one who asks these types of questions are very desperate people otherwise they would know every woman's chances are different and man's come to that, but sometimes it's nice to believe it might work for me.... trying and trying becomes trying if you get my drift and im sure you do as you have had to go down the ivf road the same as my son and his wife ,thank god good came out of their pain in the form of niamh and connor my beautiful twin grandchildren we never thought we would have so excuse some people for being a bit desperate they don't mean it,,,,
2007-02-20 06:10:43 · answer #7 · answered by twinsters 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
some are just definitly missinformed. folic acid will not increase your chances of pregnancy. it helps your body prepare for it. helps prevent birthdefects. if you take fertility drugs, then that increases your chances, but not pre natal vitamins. there are also no special positions or anything like that. its about timing and when you are ovulating. i just think its funny when people ask what positions can i try to increase my chances? sorry, but that is funny.
2007-02-20 05:44:46 · answer #8 · answered by Awesome Rockin Mom 7 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I'm sorry, but your information is not completely correct. Folic Acid DOES help increase a woman's fertility.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/health/healthmain.html?in_article_id=412334&in_page_id=1774
http://www.sofeminine.co.uk/__e7608-Folic-acid-and-pregnancy.html
2007-02-20 05:58:43 · answer #9 · answered by jilldaniel_wv 7 · 2⤊ 1⤋
That's right... people need to realize that they may not be getting the right advise from here, and should always contact a professional when they're talking about their health.
2007-02-20 05:33:09 · answer #10 · answered by naenae0011 7 · 4⤊ 0⤋