The Institute of Medicine recommends that pregnant women consume 600 mcg of folate per day.

Because many women do not achieve the RDA through their diets, national health agencies recommend that all women planning pregnancy take a daily multivitamin or multimineral supplement containing folic acid at a dose of 400 - 800 mcg, beginning 1 month prior to conception and continuing through the first trimester, to reduce the risk of neural tube defects.[71]