Folic acid... Importance to pregnancy

Folic Acid is also known as Vitamin B12 or folate is important to your pregnancy and even before you are trying to conceive.

The reasons why we need to take folic acid:

• It helps in developing healthy cells to our growing little buddy and to our body as well. 
• It reduces the risk of birth defects such as neural tube defects (NTDs), heart and limb defects, urinary tract anomalies, narrowing of the lower stomach valve, and oral facial clefts (like cleft lip and cleft palate).

Most doctors recommend this vitamin during our first check up to them.
Personally, When I first knew I was pregnant through a PT (Pregnancy Test) I bought over the counter folic acid even before my first checkup.

However, there are foods that are a good source of folic acid:

• spinach
• asparagus
• broccoli
• peas
• corn
• oranges
• dark green leafy vegetables
• papaya
• strawberry
• avocado
• okra
• celery
• squash

sources: 

http://sogc.org/publications/folic-acid-for-preconception-and-pregnancy/

http://www.globalhealingcenter.com/natural-health/folic-acid-foods/

http://www.frg.ie/useful-info/absence-of-folic-acid-causes-defects-in-unborn/