In this episode of the SMFM Podcast, Dr. Rupesh Patel welcomes Dr. Amy Valent to discuss folic acid and its critical role in pregnancy. They review dietary and supplemental sources, the distinctions between folate, folic acid, and methylfolate, and evidence-based recommendations for dosing before and during pregnancy to prevent neural tube defects and support fetal development. Dr. Valent also addresses considerations for populations of higher-risk patients, limitations of supplement regulation, and the lack of evidence for routine MTHFR testing, providing practical guidance for clinicians counseling patients on folic acid intake.

Click here for the full episode transcript. For more educational resources, visit education.smfm.org.

Additional Resources:

• Government Agency Resources:

  • For Physicians
    • CDC Folic Acid Facts: For Clinicians
    • CDC Folic Acid: Sources and Recommended Intake
    • CDC MTHFR Gene Variant and Folic Acid Facts
    • CDC #InMyFolicAcidEra Toolkit
    • CDC From Heritage to Health Toolkit
    • GAO Prenatal Supplements: Amounts of Some Key Nutrients Differed from Product Labels
    • NIH Folate: Fact Sheet for Health Professionals
    • FDA Folate and Folic Acid on the Nutrition and Supplement Facts Labels
  • Peer Organization Resources:
    • ACOG Nutrition During Pregnancy
    • ACOG Practice Bulletin on Neural Tube Defects
    • MotherToBaby Folic Acid | Folate Fact Sheet
    • MotherToBaby Folic Acid – Is More Really Better?