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Viswanathan M, Treiman KA, Doto JK, et al. Folic Acid Supplementation: An Evidence Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force [Internet]. Rockville (MD): Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (US); 2017 Jan. (Evidence Synthesis, No. 145.)
This publication is provided for historical reference only and the information may be out of date.
Folic Acid Supplementation: An Evidence Review for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force [Internet].
Show detailsTable 2Current Guidelines for Folic Acid Supplementation
| Organization | Definition of Treatment Population | Guideline |
|---|---|---|
| American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology70 | General population: Women capable of becoming pregnant | Folic acid supplementation of 400 μg per day is recommended during the periconceptional period to reduce the occurrence and recurrence of NTDs in low-risk women. |
| High-risk population: women at high risk of NTDs or with a previous pregnancy with an NTD | Folic acid supplementation of 4 mg per day is recommended for women at high risk of NTDs. | |
| American Academy of Pediatrics71 | General population: Women with no history of a previous pregnancy affected by an NTD | All women of childbearing age, capable of becoming pregnant, and having no history of a previous pregnancy affected by an NTD should consume 400 μg (0.4 mg) of folic acid. |
| High-risk population: Women with a previous pregnancy affected by an NTD, having a close relative with an NTD, having diabetes, receiving treatment of valproic acid or carbamazepine for a seizure disorder, and having an NTD, or having a partner with an NTD | Women with a previous pregnancy affected by an NTD should consume 4,000 μg (4 mg) of folic acid per day starting 1 month before the time they plan to become pregnant and the first 3 months of pregnancy, unless contraindicated. Women should be advised not to attempt to achieve the 4,000 μg daily dosage of folic acid by taking over-the-counter or prescription multivitamins containing folic acid because of the possibility of ingesting harmful levels of other vitamins. Women of other high-risk groups who are planning a pregnancy should discuss with their physician the advantages and disadvantages of increasing their daily periconceptional folic acid intake to 4,000 μg. | |
| Public Health Service72 | General population: Women of childbearing age in the United States | Women of childbearing age in the United States who are capable of becoming pregnant should consume 0.4 mg of folic acid per day to reduce the risk of having a pregnancy affected with spina bifida or other NTDs. Because the effects of high intakes are not well known but include complicating the diagnosis of vitamin B12 deficiency, care should be taken to keep total folate consumption at less than 1 mg per day, except under the supervision of a physician. |
| High-risk population: Women who have had a previous pregnancy affected by an NTD | Women with a previous pregnancy affected by an NTD should consult their physicians for advice when planning to become pregnant. | |
| American Academy of Family Physicians73 | Women planning or capable of pregnancy | Daily supplement containing 0.43 to 0.8 mg (400 to 800 μg) of folic acid is recommended for women planning a pregnancy or capable of pregnancy. |
| American Academy of Neurology75 | Women with epilepsy | Folic acid supplementation should be instituted in women with epilepsy: no less than 0.4 mg/day and continued throughout pregnancy. |
| Institute of Medicine35 | Women capable of becoming pregnant | 400 μg of folic acid daily from fortified foods, supplements, or both in addition to consuming food folate from a varied diet |
| National Institute for Health and Care Excellence74 | General population: Women who may become pregnant and women in early pregnancy | A daily dose of 400 μg of folic acid before pregnancy and throughout the first 12 weeks is recommended. |
High-risk population:
| A daily dose of 5 mg of folic acid is recommended for women at high risk who are planning a pregnancy or are in the early stages of pregnancy. |
Abbreviation: NTD=neural tube defect.
- Table 2, Current Guidelines for Folic Acid Supplementation - Folic Acid Suppleme...Table 2, Current Guidelines for Folic Acid Supplementation - Folic Acid Supplementation
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