What is Folate?
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Folate is a B group vitamin that is naturally in some foods or it is added to some breakfast cereals or you can get it as a tablet.
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If you take folate it can reduce your risk of having a baby with a birth defect of the spine called spina bifida.
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It is best to increase your folate before you get pregnant but if you are already pregnant you should start taking it as soon as possible.
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You can increase the amount of folate you take by:
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- taking a folic acid tablet - (0.5 mg) - available from the chemist - most women would find it difficult to get enough folate just from food.
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- choose breakfast cereals with folate added
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- eat foods that are naturally rich in folate like, vegetables - epspecially the green leafy sort and other foods like fruit, dried beans and peas.
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Where to go
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Nutrition and Dietetics Department, The Royal Women's Hospital
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Australian Nutrition Foundation
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- Local community health centres
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