nutritional disorders
Folate Deficiency
Treatment of Folate Deficiency
Supplemental oral folate Folate 400 to 1000 mcg orally once a day replenishes tissues and is usually successful even if deficiency has resulted from malabsorption. The normal requirement is 400 mcg/day. (CAUTION:In patients with megaloblastic anemia, vitamin B12 deficiency must be ruled out before treating with folate. If vitamin B12 deficiency is present, folate supplementation can alleviate the anemia but does not reverse, and may even worsen, neurologic deficits.) For pregnant women, the recommended daily allowance (RDA) is 600 mcg/day. For women who have had a fetus or infant with a neural tube defect, the recommended dose is 4000 mcg/day, started 1 month before conception (if possible) and continued until 3 months after conception. 