Whether you have thalassaemia or are a carrier, your baby will benefit if you take 5mg of folic acid daily throughout your pregnancy. This is because thalassaemia may increase the risk of your baby developing a neural tube defect, such as spina bifida. Taking a high dose of folic acid daily reduces this risk.
Taking folic acid every day helps your blood to stay healthy too. Having thalassaemia can lead to anaemia during pregnancy.