Do you worry about not getting enough nutrients when you are expecting? It is important to have the right nutrients during your pregnancy and this article ” The best prenatal vitamins for pregnancy” will give you insight about what are the keys ones you must have.
In this article you will learn about these vital ones and why it is important during your pregnancy. It is to give you some ideas what you consume and how it actually benefit both of you and your baby.
In this article, i will also provide the food source which are rich in these vitamins and nutrients. You may include these food in your daily diet.
The best prenatal vitamins for pregnancy
First of all, i want to remind you that vitamins shall not replace your daily healthy diet but it is as a supplementary nutrients you add on to your daily food intake. Remain your 3 meals or 5 meals a day to keep your body function well.
During your pregnancy, your diet shall consists of various food intake to include protein, carbohydrates, healthy fats and some essential minerals. Now if you are already pregnant and there is a growing infant inside you, you shall ensure your body is having enough nutrients for both of you and your growing baby.
You shall not go personally and buy prenatal vitamins over-the-counter without consulting your pediatrician first. Usually, your pediatrician will recommend it when you really need it.
Let’s look at the tops nutrients and vitamins for pregnancy one by one.
Related post : “how to get pregnant fast and easy?”
Folic acid
This is a supplement when you take during preconception period and it is important to continue during the first 30 days of pregnancy. It is to prevent miscarriage and premature delivery. You can’t tell when you are getting pregnant so gynecologist will recommend to have folic acid as early as possible, during the period when you try to conceive. Therefore, it is important for you to plan for your pregnancy and have a body check up by gynecologist prior to the preconception period.
Lack of folic acid in the first 30 days of pregnancy will likely to cause major birth defects on baby’s brain and spine.
For mother, taking folic acid will prevent you from getting anemia (lack of iron).
Pregnancy RDA ( Recommended Dietary Allowance ) = 600mcg
Food rich in Folic acid are leafy green such as spinach, broccoli, nut and seeds.
Calcium
Calcium is needed to build bones and strong teeth. Your growing baby will absorb calcium from your body so you need to replenish this nutrient for your healthy bones and teeth.
For mother, calcium intake will protect your bone density and help prevent high blood pressure during pregnancy.
Pregnancy RDA = 1000 mg
Food rich in calcium includes cow’s milk, yogurt, calcium fortified juice, cheese and tofu.
Omega 3 fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acid contain DHA (Docosahexaenoic Acid) which is important for your growing baby to help brain development, vision and nervous system. It is essential to prevent preterm labor.
For mother, it is vital to help protect your heart against heart disease in future.
Pregnancy RDA = 650mg
Food rich in Omega 3 fatty acids are fatty fish such as salmon, tuna, sardines, anchovies, nut and seeds, fortified food (eggs, milk, yogurt)
Iron
Iron is important nutrient to build red blood cells to supply oxygen to your growing baby. It will help to prevent preterm birth and low birth weight.
For mother, it will help to prevent anemia during pregnancy.
Pregnancy RDA : 27mg
Iron rich food includes red meat (beef, lamb), white meat chicken, whole grain cereal, nuts and dried fruit such as raisin, prune.
Choline
Choline is a nutrient that support body functions especially in nervous system functioning and metabolism. Your growing baby need choline to help prevent problem in spinal cord and brain development.
For mother, enough choline will help in strong bone and prevent high blood pressure.
Pregnancy RDA : 450mg
Food rich in choline includes egg, pork, broccoli, mushroom, beef, fish and chicken, as well as whole grains such as rice, quinoa, nut and seeds.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is essential to help body to absorb calcium better to build strong bone and teeth.
As for mother, Vitamin D is to help your body absorb calcium from food or supplement for healthy bone and teeth.
Pregnancy RDA : 600 IU (international unit)
Food which is fortified with vitamin D can be found in orange juice, cereal, egg and milk.
Others prenatal vitamins also contain vitamins A, E, C, B, zinc, magnesium, iodine and thiamine. Please consult health professional or gynecologist about which prenatal vitamins to suit your health conditions during pregnancy and its dosage. Example, if you are anemia or having thyroid problem, you may get different treatment.
Summary
| Nutrients | Baby benefit | Mother benefit | RDA |
|---|---|---|---|
| Folic acid | To prevent birth defect related to brain and spine | To prevent anemia | 600mcg |
| Calcium | To build bone and teeth | To protect bone density | 1000mg |
| Omega 3 fatty acids | To help brain development, vision and nervous system | To protect heart | 650mg |
| Iron | To build red blood cells to supply oxygen to growing baby | To prevent anemia | 27mg |
| Choline | To prevent problem in spinal and brain development | To help in strong bone and prevent high blood pressure during pregnancy | 450mg |
| Vitamin D | To help absorb calcium to build strong bone and teeth | To help body to absorb calcium for strong bone and teeth | 600IU |
Symptoms of vitamin overdose during pregnancy
Always stick to prescription given by your gynecologist when taking supplements during pregnancy. A balanced healthy diet and supplementing prenatal vitamins during pregnancy will ensure good pregnancy outcome.
Let’s us look at how to detect vitamins overdose during pregnancy. Here are some of our body response to vitamins overdose.
- cloudy urine
- constipation
- diarrhea
- dark stool
- muscle pain
- headache
- loss of appetite
- nausea and vomit
- frequent urination
- stomachache
- crack lips
- rashes
Taking supplements on top of your healthy diet is good but taking too much will bring you adverse health effect especially during pregnancy. One of the well known example is taking high dose of vitamin A during pregnancy may pose risk of having birth defects.
We must be diligent in preventing the risk of excess intake when food, fortified food, and supplements are regularly consumed. Some of the symptoms such as nausea, vomit, and stomachache will be disappeared if you take supplement after food. If you still experience the above symptoms, please consult your gynecologist.
Conclusion
Is every woman need prenatal supplements during pregnancy? Prenatal vitamins are prescribed particularly to women who are lack of nutrients in some poor countries. However, gynecologist will still prescribe prenatal vitamins especially during our second trimester for good pregnancy outcome.
A study has shown that taking prenatal vitamins according to prescribed dosage to pregnant woman will unlikely to have risk of overdose and cause harm to mother and baby. Therefore, supplementing prenatal vitamins accompany with daily diet are safe to ensure smooth and healthy pregnancy.
Share with us your experience about taking prenatal vitamins during pregnancy in the comment box below.
Happy reading!