New research has shown that folate supplements, widely recommended for women planning pregnancy, may increase the chances of having twins.Professor Judith Lumley, from La Trobe University examined various folate supplement trials and found women who took folate before becoming pregnant had a 50 per cent greater chance of having twins.
Folate has been proven to minimise the risk of birth defects such as spina bifida by up to 70 per cent, with one in 300 Indian pregnancies affected by a neural tube defect. Neural tube defect can cause a wide range of disabilities such as loss of bladder and bowel control and paralysis of the legs. In some cases the effects can be more severe.Folate supplements can reduce this ill effect says, Judith.Folate is needed for healthy cell growth and development of men, women and children and folate is recommended in their daily diet. However it is also very important for women before and during the early stage of pregnancy to take folate as it is necessary for the healthy development of babies in early pregnancy.One should not avoid folate due to risks of twin bearing.
