Symptoms:

Folic acid deficiency may cause:

• Diarrhea
• Gray hair
• Mouth ulcers
• Peptic ulcer
• Poor growth
• Swollen tongue

It may also result in a form of megaloblastic anemia.

In addition, folic acid is required for the development of a healthy fetus. It plays an important part in the development of the fetus' spinal cord and brain. Folic acid deficiency can cause severe birth defects of the brain and spinal cord, known as neural tube defects.

In some cases, there may be no noticeable signs of folic acid deficiency, and it is diagnosed in pregnant women only after a child is born with a neural tube defect.

Signs and tests:

Folate deficiency can be diagnosed with a blood test. Pregnant women usually have such blood work during prenatal checkups.