The recommended dietary allowances for folic acid during Pregnancy is

Appeared in: RRB Nsg Superintendent -29 April 2025 (Shift-1st)

Explanation

The correct Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for folic acid during pregnancy is 600 mcg per day.
This increased amount is necessary to support the rapid growth of the fetus, placenta, and maternal tissues.
Adequate folic acid intake during pregnancy is critical for the prevention of neural tube defects (NTDs) like spina bifida in the developing fetus.

Option A: 500 mcg is the recommended daily allowance for lactating women, not pregnant women.
Option C: 400 mcg is the recommended daily allowance for women of childbearing age before conception.
Option D: 300 mcg is an insufficient amount of folic acid to meet the increased demands of pregnancy and protect against birth defects.

Visual 1: Infographic: A chart showing the different RDAs for folic acid for non-pregnant, pregnant, and lactating women.
Visual 2: Visual: A list of food sources rich in folate, such as leafy green vegetables (spinach), legumes (lentils), fortified cereals, and citrus fruits.

Clinical Relevance

Nursing practice connection: This is primarily an exam-oriented knowledge point with limited direct bedside application, so retain Nutritional requirements during pregnancy, specifically the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for folic acid as background academic context rather than a clinical decision trigger.
Nurses play a vital role in educating women of childbearing age about the importance of folic acid supplementation before and during pregnancy to prevent devastating birth defects like spina bifida and anencephaly.
Patient counseling should emphasize that neural tube closure occurs by the 28th day of gestation, often before a woman is aware of her pregnancy, making pre-conception supplementation critical.
What if? If a patient has a history of a child with a neural tube defect, the recommendation changes significantly. The nurse should anticipate a provider's order for a much higher dose, typically 4,000 mcg (4 mg) daily, starting before the next conception.

How to Approach the Question

Identify the key terms in the question: 'folic acid' and 'during pregnancy'.
This is a factual recall question that requires knowledge of specific nutritional guidelines.
Differentiate the RDA for pregnancy from the recommendations for pre-conception and lactation.
Recall that pregnancy requires a higher intake than the baseline pre-conception amount.
Select the value that corresponds to the established RDA for pregnancy, which is 600 mcg.

Concept Tested & Keywords

Concept Tested: Nutritional requirements during pregnancy, specifically the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) for folic acid.
Stem keywords: recommended dietary allowances, folic acid, Pregnancy
Lead-in keywords: BEST, MOST RELEVANT CLUE

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Practise the full RRB Nsg Superintendent -29 April 2025 (Shift-1st)

Attempt every question from this paper in a timed mock, then review the full solution for each one.