Vitamins During Pregnancy
Are You Taking Enough Vitamins During Pregnancy?
Executive Summary about Vitamins During Pregnancy by Apurva Shree
Whether you need supplements of vitamins during pregnancy is a debatable issue. However, most women are of the opinion that, prenatal vitamins are vital for fulfilling the requirement of nutrition during pregnancy. Common supplements of vitamins are those containing iron, folic acid, and other such crucial nutrients that you need during this nine-month phase. In case you are lactose-intolerant, the doctor may recommend you calcium supplements, to fulfill the increased calcium requirement in your body.
Moreover, the need for calcium, minerals, iron, and vitamins increases. In such a situation, pregnancy vitamins help. There are more than 50 nutrients needed for a healthy pregnancy.
Pregnancy Nutrition
- Folic acid – it is a B vitamin, essential before conception and in first trimester. It decreases the risk of various scary neural tube defects like, spina bifida, encephalocele, and anencephaly.
- Iron – it is crucial, as it produced red blood cells that transport oxygen to the fetus. You need double amount of iron in this period.
- Calcium – it is essential for the healthy development of bones and teeth of your baby. It also prevents the onset of osteoporosis in you.
- Vitamin A – important for the health of skin, normal cell growth, and developing resistance to infection.
- Vitamin D – essential for strong bones of your baby and regulation of calcium absorption
- Vitamin C – inevitable for strong gums, teeth, and bones. Helps in iron absorption.
- B vitamins like vitamin B6, thiamine, and riboflavin – B6 is important for brain and nervous system development. Thiamine (B1) is essential for brain development. Riboflavin (B2) encourages development of muscles, bones, and nerves of your baby.
- Protein – it’s the building block of your baby’s cells.
- Potassium – it maintains fluid balance in cells.
- Zinc – helps in tissue development of your baby and reduces the risk of neural tube disorders.
Besides, always consult your doctor before staring any supplement for vitamins during pregnancy.
Are There Really Benefits to Taking Prenatal Vitamins?
Executive Summary about Vitamins During Pregnancy by Keith Henry
The reasoning is that prenatal vitamins may help prevent some birth defects. Prenatal vitamins, in my opinion, should probably become part of the diet plan for expecting mothers. Iron and folic acid are two such nutrients. Pregnancy is a time when both mother and baby are growing quickly. Doctor will often prescribe a prenatal vitamin to a pregnant patient, but some evidence suggests that vitamins are beneficial for women who are planning to conceive. The consistent use of prenatal vitamins during pregnancy and breastfeeding is advisable to reduce or avert the chances of nutrition deficiencies.
Most Prenatal vitamins are specially formulated to make up for nutritional deficiencies in a mother’s diet, and contain supplements such as vitamins, zinc, iron, and calcium. A FEW IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS FOR MOTHER AND CHILD:
DHA
DHA is a fatty acid that is crucial for baby’s brain development from the earliest stages of pregnancy through the breast feeding years. DHA is a type of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids belonging to omega 3 families. There are two types of essential fatty acids – omega 3 and omega 6 families.
IRON
Iron is an important mineral, and most prenatal vitamins will have 30 to 40 mg.
FOLIC ACID
Folic Acid is very essential for a healthy pregnancy and healthy fetal development. Most cereals are also fortified with many other vitamins and can be a good dietary choice for the pregnant woman who cannot tolerate vitamins. Folic acid is an essential nutrient that can help prevent birth defects in newborns.
Folic acid has been proven crucial for a baby’s neural tube development, especially during the first trimester when women are most likely to suffer from nausea and vomiting.
CALCIUM
Calcium, 400 mg/day, and magnesium, 300 mg/day, help protect the mother’s bones and can help prevent pre-eclampsia. Chromium, 200 mg/day, helps control the mother’s blood sugar, and look for the following B vitamins: B12, 120 mg/day; B6, 20 mg/day, and B5, also known as pantothenic acid, 20 mg/day.
CALCIUM – A supplement that contains 2-300 mg calcium is just a start toward reaching the recommended 1200 mg daily. Finally, not all prenatal vitamins are created equal… Vitamin A should be provided as water-soluble beta carotene at a level that won’t cause vitamin A toxicity. Deficiencies in vitamin E in pregnancy have been linked to birth defects so having “just enough” is important. Vitamin K, another fat-soluble vitamin, which also needs to be provided in amounts that avoid toxicity. One highly recommended source of a prenatal vitamin can be found below.
Article you might be interested in reading: Week By Week Pregnancy Calendar, Pregnancy Health Insurance, Food For Pregnant Women and Diet For Pregnant Women



