Prenancy Planning / Folic Acid

[GF-in-SC]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with celiac disease 19 years ago, and have been following a mostly gluten-free diet (with occasional slip-ups and accidental glutenings) all this time. I'm 39 now, and my husband I are ready to start a family. I know I have to take folic acid supplements for a while before we start trying to conceive, but for how long? I've been taking a gluten-free prenatal with 1,000 mcgs of folic acid for a month now. Is that enough? Should I be taking additional folic acid to supplement the prenatal vitamins, and how long before we can safely start trying? What else should I be doing to get my body ready? I'm a little freaked out b/c of my age - my clock is ticking so I don't want to wait too long, but I also want to be sure I'm doing everything I can to help my baby be healthy!

Thanks in advance for any advice/reassurance y'all can offer!

A.

[home-based-mom]

Hi,

I was diagnosed with celiac disease 19 years ago, and have been following a mostly gluten-free diet (with occasional slip-ups and accidental glutenings) all this time. I'm 39 now, and my husband I are ready to start a family. I know I have to take folic acid supplements for a while before we start trying to conceive, but for how long? I've been taking a gluten-free prenatal with 1,000 mcgs of folic acid for a month now. Is that enough? Should I be taking additional folic acid to supplement the prenatal vitamins, and how long before we can safely start trying? What else should I be doing to get my body ready? I'm a little freaked out b/c of my age - my clock is ticking so I don't want to wait too long, but I also want to be sure I'm doing everything I can to help my baby be healthy!

Thanks in advance for any advice/reassurance y'all can offer!

A.

I *think* you should be just fine to start trying without any additional supplements beyond the prenatal ones. The problems caused by lack of folic acid happen very early in the pregnancy before women realize they are pregnant. By the time they start taking the extra supplements, the damage has been done. But as you already have the folic acid levels up in your body, you should be OK.

I can relate to that "ticking clock" - I was just shy of 39 when my one and only daughter was born.

[SBW]

I *think* you should be just fine to start trying without any additional supplements beyond the prenatal ones. The problems caused by lack of folic acid happen very early in the pregnancy before women realize they are pregnant. By the time they start taking the extra supplements, the damage has been done. But as you already have the folic acid levels up in your body, you should be OK.

I can relate to that "ticking clock" - I was just shy of 39 when my one and only daughter was born.

I'm 37, was diagnosed with celiac almost a year ago, and have also recently started taking folic acid because my husband and I would like to start a family. I just saw an article about a study that suggests that folic acid can increase the risk of colon cancer, which I know is more of a risk for people with celiac disease. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks.

[GF-in-SC]

I'm 37, was diagnosed with celiac almost a year ago, and have also recently started taking folic acid because my husband and I would like to start a family. I just saw an article about a study that suggests that folic acid can increase the risk of colon cancer, which I know is more of a risk for people with celiac disease. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks.

Oh, great. Like I need something else to worry about! I hadn't heard that, about the colon cancer risk. But to me, having a healthy baby is the most important thing, so if the folic acid will help guarantee that, I guess I'll roll the dice and take my chances.

I just found out about the Green Tea thing. I didn't know that it somehow prevents you from absorbing folic acid! I've been drinking tons of green tea energy drinks (I know to lay off the caffeine once I officially start trying to get pregnant, but figured it couldn't hurt to drink them now) - so now I'm worried -- has all the folic acid I've taken so far has been wasted?

Anyone know details about the effects of Green Tea on Folic Acid absorption?

[GF-in-SC]

I'm 37, was diagnosed with celiac almost a year ago, and have also recently started taking folic acid because my husband and I would like to start a family. I just saw an article about a study that suggests that folic acid can increase the risk of colon cancer, which I know is more of a risk for people with celiac disease. Does anyone have any thoughts on this? Thanks.

I just found this on the American Cancer Society website (empahasis mine): "Several studies that observed large groups of people have found that folic acid may be linked to a lower risk of colon cancer. A large study that tracked nurses in the United States from 1980 to 1994 reported that the women with a high intake of folic acid were much less likely to get colon cancer than those with a lower intake." The page, and more info about Folic acid & cancer is here: Open Original Shared Link

Granted, this page was last updated in 6/07, so there may have been a more recent study that contradicts it, but the ACS seems like a trustworthy enough source to me. <shrug>