Introduction: Folic acid or vitamin B9 is a synthetic product in the form of dietary supplements, part of the B-complex vitamin group that plays a role in the synthesis of nucleic acids and their division, and therefore fast-growing tissues like the fetus have a great need for folic acid. Folic acid is very important for the proper development of the neural tube, the fetal structure from which the fetus develops the brain, spine and spinal cord with nerves, and therefore it should be taken in the recommended dose four weeks before conception and up to the twelfth week of pregnancy. Folic acid deficiency in fetal development most often leads to a neural tube defect. Aim: The aim of this study is to investigate what knowledge and beliefs about folic acid pregnant women and laboring mothers in Bjelovar-Bilogora County have, and how much folic acid they take before conception and during pregnancy. Results: The sample consisted of 209 respondents. Although 69.9% of them answered that they know what folic acid is, 88% of them believe that it is useful, and 71.4% of them say that it should be taken both before conception and in pregnancy. Folic acid was taken by only 22.5% of respondents before conception and related to conception and pregnancy, and half of them stated that they were taking folic acid continuously during pregnancy at least once a week. The results show that women with higher educational status knew statistically significantly more about folic acid and took more folic acid before conception and in pregnancy than those with lower educational status. It is statistically significant that a planned pregnancy has a positive effect on folic acid intake, while smoker status has a negative effect on folic acid intake. Most of those who did not take folic acid have the status of smokers. Age did not prove statistically significant for folic acid intake and knowledge about it. The connection between congenital impairments in children and folic acid intake before conception and in pregnancy could not be determined given that none of the subjects personally gave birth to a child with a congenital malformation from a previous or earlier pregnancy. Conclusion: Since Croatia is not yet considering enriching food with folic acid or at least cereals, one of the options is enhanced and more thorough education that will include all women of childbearing age and pregnant women in early pregnancy to raise awareness of the importance of timely intake of folic acid.