The Food Standards Agency has recommended that bread flour be fortified with folic acid in order to help prevent birth defects (see http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/6648059.stm for the full story).

Folic acid is recommended to be supplemented by all women of child bearing age as it is thought to help prevent the occurance of spina bifida. The current UK government recommendation is to take 400 micrograms (ug) daily for at least 3 months before becoming pregnant.

But folic acid can't be the only nutrient that's important in pregnancy? Surely there must be others?? Of course folic acid has been shown to prevent birth defects, but what about making sure that your developing child has access to the optimum amounts of all nutrients so that he/she can get the best start and live a healthier life, including key ones such as DHA (from fish oil) which is vital for the development of the nervous system, calcium and magnesium for the production of strong bones, teeth and nervous tissue, and zinc to aid formation of healthy tissues and production of DNA to name but a few.

And they're just the ones that are important for the growing fetus - what about mum's needs?

Her body is working overtime to create a new human being, so optimum nutrition and healthy food are essential before, during and after pregnancy for the health of both mother and child. More and more research is indicating that a mother's nutritional status whilst pregnant can affect her child's health into adulthood and I frequently see women that are very depleted after pregnancy due to the demands put on their body which may already have been low in nutrients.

If you are planning to become pregnant or already are, you may wish to consult a trained nutritional therapist who can advise you on the best ways to get all the nutrition you and your unborn (or yet unconceived) child need, through diet and supplementation.

You can search for a qualified nutritional therapist in your area on the website of the British Association for Nutritional Therapy (BANT).