How much folic acid do I need to take in pregnancy?

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The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) recommends that women take a supplement of 400 micrograms of folic acid every day from when they start trying to conceive and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy.

Although you can get folic acid through food (see below) – and many foods are fortified with folic acid – it's important to take a supplement too. This is because you need a much higher amount during pregnancy and while trying to conceive (almost double the recommended daily intake for when you aren't pregnant).