The American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology warns that pregnant women should rely on diet as much as possible to get necessary vitamins and nutrients. Dr. Linda B. White advises that vitamins in food tend to be absorbed well, and there is little danger of getting too much. However, it is not always possible to get all the vitamins you need this way. Supplements can be beneficial, but only under a doctor's care. An excess of some vitamins can be harmful to your fetus.
Vitamin A
Beta-carotene is preferable to vitamin A when you're pregnant, according to White. High doses of vitamin A are associated with birth defects, but beta-carotene has no toxic risks. Your body coverts it into vitamin A and delivers all the advantages of vitamin A, including bone growth and healthy skin. White says you can get beta-carotene from carrots, squash, sweet potatoes, cantaloupe and peaches. The American Pregnancy Association recommends 700mcg of vitamin A per day. The March of Dimes warns against more than 5,000 international units, or IU, of vitamin A per day.
B Complex Vitamins
Thiamine is an energy vitamin and it is also beneficial to the nervous system. Riboflavin is also an energy vitamin that helps vision. Riboflavin and niacin both aid the skin, and niacin also has beneficial effects on the nervous system and digestion. Pyridoxine is important in the formation of red blood cells, and it might also help you with morning sickness. White warns that if you were on oral contraceptives before conceiving, this may have depleted your levels of pyridoxine.
Vitamin C
Your body needs vitamin C to absorb iron and calcium, both necessary minerals to a healthy pregnancy, according to White. She recommends 70mg a day. Green peppers, Brussels sprouts, cabbage and strawberries are all rich in vitamin C.
Vitamin D
Milk and fatty fish contain vitamin D, but you don't have to eat to receive the benefits of it. Sunshine produces it, as well. The American Pregnancy Association recommends that a pregnant woman get 5mcg a day of vitamin D. White says that this is one of four vitamins that pregnant women commonly have insufficient levels of.
Vitamin E
Vitamin E is integral in the production of red blood cells and muscle tissue and is found in nuts, spinach, fortified cereals and vegetable oil.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is also a B vitamin and is crucial to a healthy pregnancy, White says. It supports the placenta and protects your baby from spina bifida and other birth defects, according to the American Pregnancy Association. White says it is integral in preventing defects of the brain and spinal cord. Fruits and vegetables contain folic acid, such as strawberries and oranges, broccoli, cauliflower and peas. The American Pregnancy Association recommends that a pregnant woman get 600mcg a day of folic acid. This may not be possible through diet alone, so the March of Dimes advises 400mcg a day in a daily vitamin or supplement form. White warns that oral contraceptives can deplete folic acid, so if you conceived shortly after stopping them, you should start taking supplements as soon as possible because your baby's neural tube is created in the first four weeks of your pregnancy.
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