Pregnant women are often advised to take supplements in order to ensure their developing baby is getting adequate nutrition throughout the entire nine months. Prenatal vitamins are designed specifically for the needs of pregnant women; however, some women may be tempted simply to stick to a less expensive multivitamin for their nutritional needs. This may leave them and their babies at risk for nutritional deficiencies.
Iron
Women need more iron when they are pregnant in order to maintain the amount of hemoglobin in their increasing blood supply. Pregnant women who do not get enough iron in their diet, or through a supplement, may be at risk for developing pregnancy-related anemia. When a woman becomes pregnant her iron requirements almost double. The Cleveland Clinic recommends she take a prenatal vitamin that contains at least 30 mg of iron. By contrast, a sample woman's formula multivitamin contains around 18 mg of iron, which is the pre-pregnancy recommended daily allowance.
Calcium
Calcium is another vital nutrient for pregnant women. Calcium helps the developing baby form a healthy skeleton. It is particularly crucial for the mom-to-be during pregnancy, as she can experience bone density loss if she does not get enough every day. A fetus will take calcium from the mother's bones if it is missing from her diet. Pregnant women need around 1000 mg of calcium daily, notes MayoClinic.com. In addition to eating and drinking milk products to add calcium in their diets, the Cleveland Clinic recommends they get around 200 to 300 mg daily in a prenatal supplement. Mothers who cannot make up the rest from their diet should look for a prenatal vitamin containing more. A woman's formula of multivitamin contains a whopping 500 mg of calcium; however, what it makes up for in calcium it lacks in other ingredients.
Folic Acid
Folic acid is one of the most important prenatal nutrients, especially early on in a woman's pregnancy. According to MayoClinic.com, women need at least 800 micrograms of folic acid when they are trying to conceive and around 1000 mg daily once they become pregnant. In contrast, a woman's multivitamin contains around 400 micrograms of folic acid, which is the RDA for the average women. Women who do not get enough folic acid in the early weeks of pregnancy are at a greater risk for having a child with birth defects, such as spina bifida and brain damage, notes the Cleveland Clinic.
Other Ingredients
A woman's formula multivitamin may be on par with several of the vitamins and minerals that are important throughout pregnancy; however, they often fall short on some of the main nutrients pregnant women need. It's not that they are bad for pregnant women: it's that women have different needs once they are carrying a baby. When you become pregnant, it is necessary to switch to a prenatal vitamin, which is preferable to simply supplementing what is missing from your daily multivitamin. The American Pregnancy Association reports that taking multiple vitamin and mineral supplements during pregnancy increases the risk of a vitamin overdose, which can be dangerous for the developing baby.
References
- American Pregnancy Association: Prenatal Vitamins
- Cleveland Clinic: Prenatal Vitamins
- MayoClinic.com: Prenatal Vitamins: Give Your Baby the Best Start
- One a Day: Supplement Facts
- MayoClinic.com: Is it OK to take prenatal vitamins if I'm not pregnant and don't plan to become pregnant?; Katherine Zeratsky, R.D., L.D.; 2009
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