Is antenatal care package done with folic acid?

Folic acid is a B vitamin used to support early development of the baby's brain and spinal cord. Antenatal care is broader: it includes health checks, discussion of medicines and supplements, screening, and planning for birth. Folic acid can therefore be one part of the package rather than the whole package.

The amount and timing depend on your health history, diet, medicines, and pregnancy stage. Some people need a different plan, so a supplement should be selected with a clinician rather than shared from someone else's prescription.

Tell your maternity clinician whether you started folic acid before pregnancy, which product you take, and whether you have missed doses. Keep the label available so the team can check the ingredient and strength. Do not double a dose after forgetting one unless your clinician gives that instruction.

Read more about [Folic Acid](/materials/folic-acid/) and the wider [Antenatal Care Package](/treatments/pregnancy-and-birth-care/antenatal-care-package/).

Contact your maternity team promptly if you cannot keep supplements down, develop a rash or swelling after taking one, or are unsure whether another medicine contains folic acid. Seek urgent help for trouble breathing, severe swelling, fainting, or heavy bleeding during pregnancy.

Ask whether your current folic acid product suits your pregnancy stage, how to take it alongside other supplements, and what to do if nausea makes it difficult to take. You can also ask which antenatal checks are planned at your next visit.