Folic Acid

The prophylaxis of iron and folic acid deficiencies during pregnancy

INDICATIONS AND USAGE

Folic acid is effective in the treatment of megaloblastic anemias due to a deficiency of folic acid (as may be seen in tropical or nontropical sprue) and in anemias of nutritional origin, pregnancy, infancy, or childhood.

FOLIC ACID (folic acid) is indicated for:  The prevention and treatment of folate deficiency due to inadequate dietary intake, absorption or utilization or increased excretion or need as in tropical sprue (not in all forms of sprue), chronic haemodialysis, chronic haemolytic anaemia, nutritional megaloblastic anaemia, megaloblastic anaemia of pregnancy, infancy, and childhood, and megaloblastic anaemia associated with primary liver disease, alcoholism with cirrhosis, or associated with anticonvulsant therapy.

 Women who are planning pregnancy or are pregnant and have had a previous pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect (NTD), who have a family history of neural tube defects, have diabetes or malabsorption disorders, who are taking folic acid antagonists or anticonvulsant drugs.

FOLIC ACID should only be used in conditions in which folate deficiency has been confirmed; specific indicators are:  the low serum or plasma folate levels [initial],  red cell folate level [cannot distinguish between folate deficiency and cobalamin deficiency and it remains unaffected by sudden changes in folate intake since it reflects the folate status over the lifespan of a red blood cell [120 days]  an increase in homocysteine level [often precedes the decrease in the serum folate levels but its less specific indicator.