Folic Acid (Folate)(foe’ lik)
PREGNANCY CATEGORY A
Drug Classes
Folic acid
Vitamin supplement
Therapeutic Actions
Required for nucleoprotein synthesis and maintenance of normal erythropoiesis.
Indications
Treatment of megaloblastic anemias due to sprue, nutritional deficiency, pregnancy, infancy, and childhood
Contraindications and Cautions
Contraindicated with allergy to folic acid preparations; pernicious, aplastic, normocytic anemias.
Use cautiously during lactation.
Available Forms
Tablets—0.4, 0.8, 1 mg; injection—5 mg/mL
Dosages
Administer orally unless patient has severe intestinal malabsorption.
Adults
Therapeutic dose: Up to 1 mg/day PO, IM, IV, or subcutaneously. Larger doses may be needed in severe cases.
Maintenance dose: 0.4 mg/day.
Pregnancy and lactation: 0.8 mg/day.
Pediatric patients
Maintenance dose:
Infants: 0.1 mg/day.
Younger than 4 yr: Up to 0.3 mg/day.
Older than 4 yr: 0.4 mg/day.
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