Pregnancy increases the amount of certain nutrients your body needs in order to create the best possible environment in which your baby can develop. A well-balanced diet consisting of unprocessed foods, fruits, vegetables of a wide variety of colors, whole grains, lentils and plenty of water should provide you with the vitamins and minerals you need for your pregnancy, the American Pregnancy Association reports. However, should you find it difficult to maintain such a diet, your health care provider may recommend that you take prenatal vitamins to make up for any nutritional deficits.
Increased Nutritional Needs
During your pregnancy, you will need to make sure that your body gets the proper amount of nutrition. Your body needs between 75 to 100g of protein a day, the American Pregnancy Association reports. Your body's need for calcium greatly increases, 1,000mg per day being the recommended amount. You will also need to increase your intake of iron, 27mg a day being the ideal. Folic acid is vital to the healthy formation of your baby and you need from 600 to 800mcg of this nutrient daily. Vitamin C plays a crucial role in promoting metabolic processes and you will need at least 85mg a day.
Meeting Nutritional Needs
Deciding not to take prenatal vitamins means that you have decided to meet the increased daily nutritional needs of your pregnancy in other ways. Being aware of what you need to eat is the first step in achieving this goal. To meet your daily requirement of protein, you need to eat either two to three servings of meat or two to three servings of legumes, the American Pregnancy Association reports. A serving of meat is approximately 3 oz.---about the size of a deck of playing cards, while a serving of legumes is about half a cup. You will need to consume three to four servings of dairy products to meet your calcium needs. A cup of milk or yogurt is one serving. To meet your need for iron, consume either two to three servings of green leafy vegetables, where a serving is approximately one cup; three servings of whole grains, where a serving is half a cup; or two to three servings of lean protein. To meet your needs for folate or folic acid, consume either two servings of dark green leafy vegetables, two to three servings of fruit, where a serving is about half a cup, three servings of whole grains or two servings of legumes. You can meet your daily vitamin C requirement by consuming three servings of fruit or vegetables.
Not Meeting Nutritional Needs
Not being able to meet the nutritional demands of pregnancy can result in severe consequences for you and your baby. Not having enough folic acid during pregnancy can result in neural tube defects which lead to serious abnormalities of the brain and spinal cord, MayoClinic.com reports. Other consequences include weak bones and teeth and problems with the circulatory, muscular and nervous systems due to the lack of calcium, anemia due to the lack of iron and low birth weight. Taking prenatal vitamins helps ensure that you are getting enough of the nutrients you need during your pregnancy.
Overdosing on Prenatal Vitamins
However, it is very possible to overdose on vitamin supplements because these contain higher doses in concentrated form, the American Pregnancy Association warns. Overdosing on vitamins A, D, E or K can cause serious and even life-threatening side-effects and can harm your unborn child. Similarly, certain minerals in prenatal multivitamin supplements can also cause serious symptoms or cause harm to your child if you take too much, Drugs.com warns. Overdose symptoms may include stomach pain, vomiting, diarrhea, constipation, loss of appetite, hair loss, peeling skin and a tingly feeling in or around your mouth. Should you experience any of these symptoms, seek emergency medical attention immediately.
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