Why low folate affects pregnancy!

The other day I told you about Carolyn Ledowsky’s step by step guide to preconception if you have the MTHFR gene and I also invited you to enter in my competition for a free spot in that course. Valued at $997.

So let me tell you more about why this course is so important.

Did you also know that a lack of folate is linked with recurrent miscarriages, Down syndrome, cleft lip and palate, childhood allergies, asthma and several other pregnancy-related complications?

So how can folate levels become low in the first place?

  1. A lack of natural folate in the diet
    • Rich dietary forms of folate include raw green leafy vegetables, beans and legumes.
  2. Supplementing with Folic Acid instead of Active Folate (5-MTHF)

 

While folic acid has been the traditional form of folate supplementation for the last several decades, more and evidence continues to emerge that active folate (5-MTHF) is the superior form of supplementation, especially for women wanting to fall pregnant.

Folic acid must undertake a long and slow process to become activated in the body, with levels quite often building up in the blood, unable to be sufficiently utilized.

5-MTHF, on the other hand, is the active form of folate, and can be used immediately by the body in every process that requires this vital nutrient. And while medical groups may refute the need to update how folate is prescribed, research now demonstrates that 5-MTHF increases folate levels in the blood more effectively than folic acid, irrespective of mutations of MTHFR.

 

Is there an MTHFR mutation?

While a woman preparing for pregnancy or who is currently pregnant may be eating a healthy diet and taking her prenatal supplement (containing folic acid), it is still possible for her level of active folate to be very low in the body if she has a mutation in her MTHFR gene.

While you can read more about the MTHFR gene and what it does here, in essence, your MTHFR gene converts inactive forms of folate (such as folic acid and folate from food) into the active form of folate: 5-MTHF.

Therefore, mutations in the MTHFR gene lead to decreased levels of folate available for the body to use during pregnancy, when the demand for this vitamin is extremely high.

And why is folate so important in pregnancy?

Simply put, there is no other time in a woman’s life that the demand for creating new, healthy DNA is so high as when a woman is growing a new life.

Active folate is crucial to this process. So if there is not enough active folate due to a dietary deficiency, incorrect supplementation or a positive MTHFR mutation, this new DNA production may not be adequately supported, and issues with pregnancy and fetal development can occur. You can read more about this process here.

 

If you are one of the couples or women who are experiencing issues with miscarriages then test both partners for your MTHFR gene. If you’d like comprehensive guidance and support around MTHFR, what it means for pregnancy, and most importantly, how to support it for a healthy, thriving pregnancy, MTHFR Support Australia has launched the first ever online course that will step you through your preconception period. The MTHFR Preconception course is now open for enrollments. You will learn what supplements you need to take, what diet you should be eating, how best to prepare your home, your environment, what to include and what to exclude.

UPDATE:

The giveaway is over, but the course is still available! To find out more and enroll, CLICK HERE.