Do I need folic acid supplements?

Dietician Caroline replies: Eating a healthy diet when you're pregnant will ensure you get enough of most vitamins and minerals, but there are some important exceptions, including folic acid, which is one of the B group vitamins.

Folic acid is vital for the healthy development of your baby, particularly in the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. It helps to reduce the risk of neural tube defects, which are abnormalities in the development of the brain and spinal cord, such as spina bifida.

It's recommended all women take a daily supplement of 0.4mg (400mcg) of folic acid when they a retrying to conceive and for the first trimester of pregnancy. Folic acid tablets are available on prescription or you can buy them from pharmacies and some supermarkets.

You should also aim to eat plenty of food rich in folic acid. It occurs naturally but is also added to some manufactured foods. Good sources include green vegetables such as spinach, broccoli and green beans; bread, particularly wholemeal or fortified bread; fortified breakfast cereals; bananas and citrus food including oranges and grapefruit; beans and pulses such as chickpeas or baked beans; milk and yoghurt; and yeast extract such as Marmite.

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