Folic acid, which is recommended to be started at least 3 months prior to pregnancy, should be supplemented with folic acid supplements other than food on a consistent basis throughout the pregnancy. The recommended intake of folic acid supplements should be at least 400ug per day, with a range of 400-800ug being ideal. Folic acid is widely found in food, but because the bioavailability of folic acid in food is low, only 50%, and because the loss of folic acid during storage, processing and cooking can be as high as 50%-90%, obtaining folic acid from food alone is not enough for pregnant mothers. Throughout pregnancy, the baby grows and develops rapidly, and folic acid is a necessary element for all cells to synthesize DNA. The human body cannot synthesize and convert folic acid on its own, so it must be obtained from outside sources. Since folic acid from food is not enough for the mother, it is important to take extra folic acid supplements throughout the pregnancy, in addition to food.