I don't plan on getting pregnant right now, and i am using birth control. do i still need to take folic acid?

No: It's important to get Folic Acid in your diet (from leafy green vegetables) for heart health but you don't need to take supplemen.Ts now. Once you are getting ready to try to get pregnant, it is important to start taking folate (folic acid) (800 mcg). Folate (folic acid) deficiency has been shown to increase the possibility of spina bifida, which is an opening in a baby's spine. There is no harm in taking folate (folic acid) any time.

Not a bad idea: Folic acid/folate helps your body to have enough stores in place for when you get pregnant. Being on prenatal vitamins with folic acid/folate when you get pregnant has been shown to lower your risks of having certain types of birth defects (call neural tube defects).

Yes!: Birth control pills have been shown to interfere with the metabolism & absorption of folate (folic acid) & also appear to increase need for b6 & b12. I advise all women on the pill to take a quality b complex. Women who became pregnant within 6 months of stopping the pill had a higher incidence of folate (folic acid) deficiency. See http://www.1flesh.Org/the-pill-and-your-vitamins/.