The benefits of taking folic acid before, during and after pregnancy have long been recognised. In fact, all women of reproductive age are urged to take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid each day, in addition to consuming food with folate from a varied diet, to help prevent some major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine1.
More recently, there has been an increased emphasis on the benefits of active folate over folic acid.
Folate and folic acid are different forms of vitamin B9. Folate is the naturally occurring form of vitamin B9, known as 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-MTHF). Before entering your bloodstream, the body’s digestive system converts it to this biologically active form of vitamin B92.
Folic acid, on the other hand, is a synthetic form of vitamin B9. Unlike folate, not all of the folic acid you consume is converted into the active form in your digestive system. Instead, it needs to be converted in your liver and other tissues. This process can be slow and inefficient in some people, with even a small dose of 200 to 400 mcg per day not being completely metabolized until the next dose is taken2.
Recognising the unique advantage of including active folate in a prenatal vitamin, PregOmega Plus, South Africa’s No.1 prenatal choice3, has updated its formula to include 5-MTHF active folate along with zinc, iron, calcium, vitamin A, vitamin D and other essential nutrients which are crucial to ensure optimal growth and developmentof the foetus and to make up for any nutritional shortfall in the diet of the mother5.
While pregnancy depletes several nutrients in the body, including folate, calcium and vitamin B6, your daily recommended dose of many nutrients is even higher when breastfeeding than when pregnant6, making the continued use of a prenatal vitamin especially beneficial while breastfeeding too7.
PregOmega Plus is a specifically formulated 3-in-1 prenatal supplement that also contains a calcium combination tablet and Omega-3 soft gel capsule to ensure optimal nutrition during pregnancy8.
The new formulation PregOmega Plus is available at leading pharmacies. For more information, go to https://pregomega.co.za/.