Prenatal vitamins are designed to help pregnant women get the amount of vitamins and minerals that are essential for a baby's healthy in utero development. It is possible to get enough nutrients from your daily diet, bit it is difficult for most pregnant women. Those who choose not to take a prenatal may miss out on key nutrients or expose themselves and their developing babies to medical complications.
Neural Tube Defects
The neural tube is the structure that eventually becomes the baby's brain and spinal cord. The first 28 days after conception are critical when it comes to neural tube development. Women who do not get enough folic acid during these earliest stages of pregnancy may leave their unborn babies more prone to neural tube defects, which can lead to brain damage or spinal problems. Today many foods such as cereals and breads are fortified with folic acid, but this may not be enough. The Cleveland Clinic recommends all women who are actively trying to conceive and who are already pregnant take a prenatal vitamin containing at least 800 to 1,000 micrograms of folic acid daily in order to prevent neural tube defects.
Anemia
Iron is another important nutrient early on in pregnancy. While iron is found in many foods as well as in most standard multivitamins, this may not be enough for pregnant women. It can be challenging to get enough iron in your diet from food alone, and some women may have low iron stores before they become pregnant. Women who do not get enough iron from their diet and prenatal vitamin may be vulnerable to pregnancy-related anemia, a condition in which there are not enough red blood cells in the body. According to the Cleveland Clinic, pregnant women should take a multivitamin that contains 30 mg of iron daily.
Bone Loss
Calcium is another of the key nutrients all pregnant women need. The Cleveland Clinic suggests that pregnant women should get between 200 and 300 mg of calcium daily from a prenatal supplement. Calcium provides babies with the minerals they need for healthy bone and teeth development. If mom does not get enough calcium in her diet, her baby must get this mineral from another source: her bones. A woman who does not take a prenatal supplement may miss out on calcium and is more vulnerable to bone density loss as her baby's skeleton develops.
Recommendation
While it is possible to get these key nutrients from diet alone, it is challenging for most women. Most women need the extra supplementation of a prenatal vitamin to ensure adequate amounts of these vital vitamins and minerals during her pregnancy. Prenatals also contain other vital nutrients that help baby's development and that may be missing or lacking in a pregnant woman's diet. Not only do prenatal vitamins give mom and her unborn baby a head start on nutrition, but they take some of the guesswork out of the daily diet. Prenatal vitamins are not a substitute for a healthy diet, but they are an important and necessary supplement.
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