PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Deborah Kennedy AU - Gideon Koren TI - Identifying women who might benefit from higher doses of folic acid in pregnancy DP - 2012 Apr 01 TA - Canadian Family Physician PG - 394--397 VI - 58 IP - 4 4099 - http://www.cfp.ca/content/58/4/394.short 4100 - http://www.cfp.ca/content/58/4/394.full SO - Can Fam Physician2012 Apr 01; 58 AB - Question One of my epileptic patients who takes carbamazepine is planning to become pregnant. She told me that Motherisk advised her to take 5 mg of folic acid daily until the end of the first trimester. Are there other women who need more than the regular dose of folic acid included in prenatal vitamins? Answer Women who are at high risk of having babies with neural tube defects and who would benefit from higher doses of folic acid include those with certain folate-enzyme genotypes, previous pregnancies with neural tube defects, diabetes, malabsorption disorders, or obesity, or those who take antifolate medications or smoke. Such women should take 5 mg/d of folic acid for the 2 months before conception and during the first trimester.