Hi and welcome to HCM Folic acid is a B vitamin (vitamin B9). It occurs naturally, in the form of folates, in foods such as dark green leafy vegetables, oranges, wholegrains, pulses, and yeast and beef extract. Folic acid helps to protect your unborn baby from developing neural tube defects such as spina bifida. Folic acid may also help to prevent other birth defects, such as a cleft palate . A daily supplement of 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid as soon as one decide to try for a baby. Then she should keep taking it for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy and aslo should also eat plenty of folate-rich foods. Its not true that pregnant females who did not take folic acid tablets result in spinal cord defects in baby, many will be having folic acid through food unknowingly. So be positive and start folic acid immediately and get a anomaly scan done to rule out any anomalies. Regards Dr Santosh