As is well known, when preparing to have children, the dietary and lifestyle habits between husband and wife should be scientifically reasonable. Those bad dietary and lifestyle habits in the past should be changed in order to be responsible for their children. Moreover, good dietary and lifestyle habits are also beneficial for sperm and eggs. So during the preconception period, women will supplement with folic acid. So, should fathers take folic acid?
Do expectant fathers need to take folic acid
During the preparation for pregnancy, experts will advise expectant mothers to take folic acid three months in advance. But did you know that taking folic acid before pregnancy is not exclusive to mothers, and even expectant fathers should take it in advance.
Sperm can carry memories of the father's living environment, including his dietary and lifestyle choices. This means that if fathers consume high-fat, fast food, or are already obese, or if their living environment is food insecure, they find it difficult to obtain sufficient folate from their daily diet, or if they excessively drink alcohol or smoke, all of these negative messages will be passed on to their offspring.
What are the side effects of excessive folic acid supplementation during pregnancy preparation
1. Causing gastrointestinal discomfort in pregnant women
After long-term use of folic acid tablets, some pregnant women may experience various adverse reactions, the most common of which is gastrointestinal discomfort, causing anorexia, nausea, bloating and other symptoms.
2. Causing fetal developmental delay
Folic acid supplementation must be appropriate and moderate. If taken in excess, it can affect the absorption of zinc and lead to a lack of zinc in the body. In this case, if the fetal development is relatively slow, the child will experience a phenomenon of low birth weight at birth.
3. Causing seizures in pregnant women
Pregnant women who do not follow the doctor's guidance to take folic acid tablets can trigger seizures, as folic acid can interfere with the effects of anticonvulsant drugs. Therefore, pregnant women and patients should explain their actual situation to their doctors before taking folic acid, so that the hospital can decide on the method and dosage of medication.
So, expectant fathers also need to supplement folic acid during the preparation for pregnancy, because at the beginning of life, it is the combination of sperm and egg, so it is also necessary for expectant fathers to supplement folic acid during the preparation for pregnancy. However, excessive supplementation of folic acid during pregnancy preparation may lead to gastrointestinal discomfort during subsequent pregnancies, so it is necessary to supplement folic acid scientifically.
