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Folic acid

Supplementation in diabetic women

From Ms G. A. Clezy, MRPharmS

During a recent Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education workshop on nutritional supplements that I facilitated in East Surrey, a community dietitian mentioned an update to the guidelines on the use of folic acid to prevent neural tube defects in the children of diabetic women. I have contacted the care development team of Diabetes UK and I would now like to pass on the following information.

Mothers with diabetes have a major congenital malformation rate of three times the normal, and neural tube defects are increased 10-fold. As a result of this, a higher intake of folic acid in diabetic woman planning pregnancy or who are already pregnant is recommended. The current consensus is that 5mg of folic acid should be taken before and during the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

At this stage there does not appear to be clear evidence on a recommended period before pregnancy, but it is thought that one month would seem reasonable.

Gabrielle Clezy
Godstone, Surrey

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