When you’re trying to conceive, your success depends on the health of your eggs and sperm. If neither are healthy, your egg may not get fertilized, or the embryo may fail to develop or implant properly. That’s why it’s necessary to give your body everything it needs to support egg and sperm health when you’re TTC.

One of the most essential nutrients to support a successful pregnancy is folic acid, and it’s important for both men and women.

About Folic Acid

Folic acid is a synthetic type of folate (vitamin B9) used in fortified foods, like bread, cereal, flour and pasta, to help prevent birth defects and other health issues.

Your body doesn’t store folate, making it difficult to meet the recommended daily intake through diet alone, especially if you want to become pregnant. Because of this, the CDC recommends that all women of childbearing age take a supplement containing folic acid. 

Folic acid plays an essential role in the development of new cells in your body, making it critical for egg and sperm health. It’s also important for the creation of new blood cells, which are necessary to your ability to carry a pregnancy, along with the growth of your placenta.

Folic acid is also essential for your baby’s health and development. Structures called neural tubes develop before you may know you’re pregnant, and if you don’t get enough folic acid during this critical period, your baby may develop neural tube defects (NTDs), such as spina bifida and anencephaly. 

How Folic Acid Supports Egg Health

Having too little folic acid is linked to poor egg quality and diminished ovarian reserve, meaning that you may have a lower number of eggs left in your ovaries compared to other women your age.

Higher intakes of folic acid are linked to higher antral follicle counts, an important measurement clinics like Halo Fertility use to estimate your ovarian reserve. It also helps us estimate how many follicles contain oocytes (immature eggs) that could develop into mature eggs for egg retrieval. Getting enough folic acid is also linked with higher pregnancy rates and higher live birth rates.

How Folic Acid Supports Sperm Health

While much of the emphasis on folic acid focuses on women and the link to NTDs, 

Dr. Matthew Macer’s advice for TTC couples is to remember that both men and women need adequate levels of folic acid. 

Too little folate in the blood is a significant predictor of problems with fertility in men, while getting enough folic acid is linked to higher sperm counts, sperm volume, sperm motility and a lower percentage of sperm with damaged DNA. 

Due to the lack of additional human research, it’s possible that folic acid impacts male fertility and pregnancy outcomes even more. Some animal studies have linked paternal folic acid intake to problems with placenta development, embryo growth, miscarriage, and problems with fetal brain and liver development.

How Much Folic Acid Do You Need?

The recommended daily amount of folic acid most adults need is 400 mcg. That’s true for both men and women, though your personal needs may vary. Certain health conditions, such as Crohn’s disease and celiac disease, interfere with the absorption of folic acid, as do some medications.

If you’ve previously given birth to a child with a neural tube defect, you’ll need to take a higher dose of folic acid, up to 4,000 mcg per day. Ask your doctor if you have questions about the right amount of folic acid you might need.

Folic acid is available in a variety of supplements, either on its own or as part of a multivitamin or prenatal vitamin. It’s important to read labels when choosing a supplement, particularly for prenatal vitamins, because the amount of folic acid may vary between brands. 

Foods High in Folate

If you’d like to increase your folate intake through diet, here are some of the best foods to eat: 

• Leafy greens
• Liver
• Beans and legumes
• Citrus fruits
• Brussels sprouts
• Asparagus
• Eggs
• Beets
• Nuts and seeds
• Broccoli
• Bananas
• Avocados
• Fortified foods, such as bread and cereal

Support for TTC Couples at Halo Fertility

Dr. Macer and the Halo Fertility team believe strongly in taking a holistic approach to fertility treatment, and we’ll include recommendations for lifestyle changes as part of your overall treatment plan.

If you’re struggling to conceive, schedule an appointment with Dr. Macer today.