Folic Acid
Printed From: OHbaby!
Category: Planning Pregnancy (trying for baby)
Forum Name: Planning Pregnancy (trying for baby)
Forum Description: Trying to get pregnant? Going through fertility treatment? Just planning your first or second child? There are many people out there in the same boat to help and listen and share with
URL: https://www.ohbaby.co.nz/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=16534
Printed Date: 19 August 2025 at 4:07pm
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Topic: Folic Acid
Posted By: Bel
Subject: Folic Acid
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:11am
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Just a quick question - if you are starting to take Folic Acid before pregnancy, how much do you need? I have a bottle of 300mcg tablets, is one enough?
------------- Mum to two beautiful kids 
Luke (09.11.2007) Amy (01.04.2009) |
Replies:
Posted By: Guests
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:14am
| I thought is was 800? |
Posted By: ginger
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:21am
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I'm taking 800 - I'd take a couple of 300mcgs. ------------- Cuinn Lachlan 23.1.09 - 22:00 Antonia Helene 4.8.11 - 09:41 |
Posted By: peanut butter
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:25am
| yep 800mg is recommended |
Posted By: Bel
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:28am
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Thanks guys ------------- Mum to two beautiful kids
Luke (09.11.2007) Amy (01.04.2009) |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:30am
| I'd just get a script from the docs. It's cheaper than buying it off the shelf at the supermarket by far. |
Posted By: Bel
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:35am
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hmmm ok thats a good point...
------------- Mum to two beautiful kids
Luke (09.11.2007) Amy (01.04.2009) |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:36am
| Yeah those ones at the supermarket are what $10 for a bottle and they don't have much in them and they are only 300mcg so they only last like 2 weeks. |
Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 10:53am
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mine are apofolic 10.95 at pharmacy(800mg) ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 11:28am
| That's still expensive. It cost me $3 for 90 800mcg pills on a script from the docs. |
Posted By: TraceyA
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 4:34pm
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My doctor told me last week that taking too much folic acid can be harmful so make sure you don't OD on it. I take 200ug as part of my B vital supplement and she seems to think that's plenty. ------------- TTC #2 |
Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 4:36pm
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my doc gave me a script and it was more than that..maybe its cause i have no community service card..do you kebakat?
800 is recommended by most docs and midwives ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 6:14pm
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KA - mine were only $3 from the doc and I definately don't have a community services card!! I wish I did though!
------------- http://lilypie.com">  http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Bel
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 6:23pm
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I don't have a community services card and last time the midwife gave them to me for free... but I want to be organised and take them before this time... I will use up the ones i have and then get some from doc ------------- Mum to two beautiful kids
Luke (09.11.2007) Amy (01.04.2009) |
Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 6:32pm
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the doc gave me a script and the pharmacist said ' its cheaper to just buy them' and gave them to me for 10.95.....cow she ripped me off:( ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: kabe
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 6:53pm
Is there something you're wanting to tell us Bel?  ------------- http://alterna-tickers.com"> 
http://lilypie.com"> 
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Posted By: peachy
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 6:54pm
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She's a secret squirrel (sp?) ahy kabe ------------- http://lilypie.com"> http://lilypie.com">
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Posted By: Bel
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 7:02pm
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yeah a very secret squirrel - I haven't said anything because people round here (round home - ILs) think that it is too early to think about having another one...
I am keen, and so is DH... not making too much effort, but have stopped taking pill... you guys know what happened last time I did that... ------------- Mum to two beautiful kids
Luke (09.11.2007) Amy (01.04.2009) |
Posted By: AliaDawn
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 7:22pm
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I take 400 and I think that's fine... but some people would do more. I might up it once I know I'm actually pregnant... it costs alot for the docs around here, so I can't see how it would be cheaper to go and get a script for it... it's only $5 a month from the supermarket for 400. -------------  
 
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Posted By: kebakat
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 7:55pm
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No I don't have a community services card.
Alia - I just rang the nurse at the docs and she just wrote one out for me free of charge. I didn't actually see the docs for that. |
Posted By: pip1
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 8:42pm
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foxxy_one she probally diddnt rip you off. I am a pharmacy technician and thought you should know the cost of scripts comes down to the coding which the doc puts on the script (and here they are nearly always coding them wrong). Also if your GP is registered in a "pho" and if you are registered at that medical practice all makes a difference. The cost could be either $3 or $15 on a script depending on the code and therefore if it was the $15 charge it would be cheaper to buy over the counter.
Also as said above 800 is the recommended dose but im sure any is better than nothing. |
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 21 April 2008 at 9:13pm
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We are going to start TTC mid July and thats when I will go off the Pill. Do I start taking Folic acid now as there is less than 3 months before we start TTC or wait until Im off?
Sorry, thats probably really confusing?! Hope it makes sense?  ------------- Our Angel July 08  Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived 
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Posted By: ElfsMum
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 7:49am
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pip1 thanks.. ------------- Mum to two amazing boys! |
Posted By: TraceyA
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 7:51am
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Rianna, you should start taking folic acid now, making sure you have a healthy diet full of wholefoods and fresh vegetables, basically if you want to be healthy and give your baby the best chance, you need to start preparing your body in advance. I'd also recommend drinking at least 1 cup of Raspberry Leaf Tea (I've started that last month). DH also needs to make sure he's all healthy, no smoking, little to no alcohol, that sort of thing.
With you coming off the pill, it usually takes your body a few months to adjust, so it's not likely you will be fertile until after July. If you really want to actively ttc in July you might want to think about ditching the pill now and give your body time to adjust. Are you planning on temping and using OPK? I'd also recommend you start doing those things now so that you are fully aware of what your body is up to each month. It's really great to know what your temps mean, how to interpret your cervical mucus and see if your body has a regular cycle for ovulation etc. Going off the pill will most likely also affect your cycle. Good luck. ------------- TTC #2 |
Posted By: Bel
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 7:55am
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Just be aware, that although for some people coming off the pill can affect fertility, for others it can give you a really fertile time!! There are a few October 07 muum who got pregnant the first month (including me!) So it does happen...
Rianna, I would start on the folic acid now, as it is good for you anyway... ------------- Mum to two beautiful kids
Luke (09.11.2007) Amy (01.04.2009) |
Posted By: catie
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 10:52am
| and you might think about cutting down on caffeine - no more than three drinks of caffeine a day while you're ttc, and some people recommend none at all, just to be sure! |
Posted By: muppet
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 2:07pm
| Sorry to thread-jack slightly, but how important is it that your partner cuts down on caffeine? My husband is quite a big coffee drinker... |
Posted By: catie
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 2:45pm
Claire I love your avatar, as a cat-lover myself. 
We saw a naturopath who is also a dr when we started ttc (knowing that we had some fertility issues) and she recommended that DH cut out caffeine too - absolute max of one coffee a day (cafe-brewed - I think instant isn't so bad). But if he's got good swimmers (if you know) it probably doesn't matter. |
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 22 April 2008 at 10:01pm
Bel and Tracey thank you!! My gosh, so much good info.  I will make an appt to see my GP and get a script for folic acid next week. I am not too sure if it will be cheaper here on script or not but will give it a go. It will probably be cheaper than Elevit (meds/drugs here are sooo expensive). 
As for monitoring my TTC I am not too sure how temping and OPK's work, so will have to read up to get an understanding. 
ETA: Fixed Typo's  ------------- Our Angel July 08 Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived
|
Posted By: NikkiB
Date Posted: 23 April 2008 at 8:25pm
Good luck Bel 
DH and I have become a lot more relaxed/slack about using 'protection'..... ------------- A very lucky mummy to two gorgeous boys: RB 3/10/2008 JB 29/12/2009 |
Posted By: TraceyA
Date Posted: 25 April 2008 at 8:31am
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On the coffee thing, I told DH he had to stop drinking coffee while we were trying so he went and did some independent googling and found studies that said caffeine has been found to effect the sperm positively, those drinking it had faster sperm then those who didn't, thus he's back to drinking it and not glaring at me over hot chocolate
As to the folic acid, I think I'm going to talk to my doctor again about the dosage. The multi B tablets I was taking had more FA then this powder. ------------- TTC #2 |
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 25 April 2008 at 1:05pm
Tracey thats brilliant! I was telling DH the same about cutting back but now I can tell him he can keep drinking as much as he likes. 
I went to the Dr yesterday and he said to me it was cheaper for me to get Folic acid over the counter and NOT on a script. So I bought elevit. Figured I might as well do it properley. 100 tablets for $50. ------------- Our Angel July 08 Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived
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Posted By: mummyofprinces
Date Posted: 27 April 2008 at 3:17pm
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Gosh, 100 elevit tablets here is $90!!!
From memory, prescription pricing in Aus is worked out quite differently. The only advantage to getting them on prescription would be once you have spent so much money in a year on prescriptions, the rest become free for the remaining part of the year. Not sure what that threshold is anymore though. Probably does not apply for vitamins though... |
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 28 April 2008 at 10:06pm
Ouch, $90  I thought paying $50 was bad enough. Will stock up before we come home!  ------------- Our Angel July 08 Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived
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Posted By: TraceyA
Date Posted: 03 May 2008 at 7:08am
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$90! I just got a script filled yesterday for 90 tablets (1 per day) for $3, I think you need to take to your doc again Rianna and melnel. ------------- TTC #2 |
Posted By: WestiesGirl
Date Posted: 03 May 2008 at 4:59pm
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I spoke to my GP and he said that it was cheaper to get either folic acid or elevit over the counter cheaper. Scripts dont work the same here in Aus as they do in NZ . Bring on January when we are finally home for good!! ------------- Our Angel July 08 Gone but not forgotten
And to complete our family, our princess has arrived
|