Should I take folic acid supplements before pregnancy and for how long? Folic acid is an essential vitamin, a water-soluble B vitamin, which is a necessary factor in the synthesis of proteins, DNA, hemoglobin and other important vital substances, and is called folic acid because it was originally extracted from spinach leaves. Folic acid plays a very important role in the early development of the fetal nervous system, such as a lack of folic acid in the early stages of pregnancy, will affect the development of the neural tube of the embryo and thus lead to anencephaly, spina bifida and other congenital malformations. Research has shown that it takes at least 4 weeks to improve the lack of folic acid in the body, so it is important to take folic acid before pregnancy and within 3 months after pregnancy. Food supplements are also a good choice. Methods: green leafy vegetables: spinach, lettuce, beans, bran bread, oranges, bananas are rich in folic acid, but supplemental folic acid dietary supplements are not as good as medicinal supplements, you can take Slimane, one tablet per day, 0.4mg at a time that is able to ensure that the needs of pregnancy. Why do expectant fathers also need to supplement folic acid? In modern society, the pressure of life and work is so great that most men have irregular diets and work and rest habits, and it is very common for them to smoke, drink alcohol and stay up late at night. Unscientific lifestyle habits can lead to a lack of folic acid in the body, which in turn leads to a lower concentration of semen and poor vitality in men. Folic acid is an important substance to improve the quality of sperm, folic acid can be synthesized with other substances in the body folates, if the male body lacks folates, will increase the chances of chromosomal defects in the baby. So in order to conceive a healthy and smart baby, men should also supplement folic acid in advance.