Folate is the natural form of vitamin B9 and is naturally found in a variety of foods in the absorbable form known as Dihydrofolate such as: Green leafy vegetables (cabbage, kale, spinach, broccoli, and brussels sprouts), Legumes (beans, peas, and chickpeas), Citrus fruits and juices, Peanuts, Sunflower seeds, Liver, Eggs, Seafood. Fortified foods such as breads and cereals as well as some supplements contain

Folic acid which is a synthetic form of folate. Both Folic acid and Dihydrofolate from food must be metabolised by the DHFR enzyme, however, Folic acid has to repeat this pathway twice in order to be converted into 5-MTHFR, the major transport and storage form of Folate. Studies indicate that 60-70% of the population (1) inherit a genetic polymorphism known as MTHFR, whereby they are unable to convert Folic acid into the biologically active 5-MTHF. This synthetic Folic acid proceeds to block the entry of “reduced” folates from entering the brain as it blocks the Folate receptors found on the Blood Brain Barrier (BBB). Only the reduced forms of Folate can enter the brain. The brain requires “reduced” forms of Folates in order to make:
1. Tetrahydrobiopterin (BH4) and neurotransmitters such as Serotonin, Dopamine and Noradrenalin.
2. DNA and RNA bases required for cell division and gene transcription. 3. SAMe which is the body’s most important methyl donor.
4. To balance Homocysteine levels Folate is a critical nutrient for Methylation, a vial process required for life that occurs in every cell of your body. L-Methylfolate is your body’s most bioavailable form of folate, and over 80% of the folate in your body should be in the form of L-Methylfolate. Women will frequently not even realise they are pregnant during the first 3-4 weeks of pregnancy; therefore, they are advised to ensure they receive adequate levels of Folate prior to conception.

Supplementing ahead of time with Folate will likely reduce the risk of:
1. Trouble conceiving
2. Difficulty maintaining a pregnancy Midline defects (2) occur in the 4th to 10th week of embryonic development such as:
1. Neural Tube Defects 2. Spina Bifida
3. Chiari Malformation
4. Tethered Cord
5. Cleft Palate
6. Blood Clotting
7. Myelomeningocele – an incomplete closure of the caudal portion of the spinal cord.
8. Midline vertebral defects of the bones
9. Cleft Lip
10. Lip Tie
11. Tongue Tie

Cutaneous and subcutaneous defects associated with hidden spinal defects:
1. Hairy patch
2. Lipoma
3. Skin tag
4. Port-wine Stain
5. Hemangioma
6. Sacral Dimples

Anencephaly which is a congenital condition in which a large part of the skull is absent along with the cerebral hemispheres of the brain. Congenital heart defects Each capsule of Selancy Women contains a therapeutic dose of 500 mcg of Folinic Acid (Calcium Folinate), the absorbable form of Folate. A healthy diet rich in leafy green vegetables is encouraged to meet the recommended dose of 400-600 mcg of Folate daily (3).