The current recommendation for women of reproductive age is for them to take 500 µg of folic acid per day. Recent research suggests that more activated folates may be better absorbed and more appropriate for some people. Given fortification of foods with folic acid, how does this affect the absorption and metabolism of more activated folates that we may be prescribing? This recommendation of 500 µg does not take into account genetic polymorphisms that may affect folate uptake. It is important to understand the dose of folate that you should be recommending in preconception, pregnancy and hormonal conditions. Carolyn Ledowsky, is a PhD candidate at the University of technology Sydney and is one of the foremost researchers of folate and MTHFR polymorphisms and how they relate to fertility. She will present her research and how this may change the way that we prescribe and dose folate to improve methylation and hormonal production. What you will learn: 1. An update on the latest research regarding folic acid fortification and the effects of excessive folic acid. 2. What is the difference between the metabolism of different folates? 3. In what conditions and what presentations should you be recommending higher doses than the 500 µg recommended? 4. In women with recurrent miscarriage what are the key considerations in your prescribing of folate? 5. In conditions like endometriosis should you be prescribing methyl folate? 6. Which conditions may actually be due to a lack of folate?