What Do Prenatal Vitamins Have In Them?

A prenatal vitamin is a must for women who find out they are pregnant. Your need for many nutrients increases while carrying a baby, and a prenatal vitamin will help you get what you need for a healthy pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins also supply the nutrients your baby needs for proper growth. Combined with a nutritious diet, a prenatal vitamin will give your baby the healthiest start possible.

Folic Acid

A diet that supplies plenty of folic acid is important during the childbearing years and particularly during pregnancy because it can help prevent certain birth defects. Folic acid is essential for proper brain and nerve development. If your pregnancy diet is deficient in folic acid, it can contribute to neural tube defects, like spina bifida, as well as brain defects like anencephaly, which is a severe lack of development in the brain. Your body needs 400 mcg of folic acid while trying to get pregnant and during the first weeks of pregnancy to prevent these defects, reports KidsHealth, but folic acid is essential throughout your pregnancy as well.

Iron

As your baby grows and develops, your body begins increasing its blood supply until you have nearly double the amount of blood as before you got pregnant. Iron is crucial for proper formation of your red blood cells, as well as for transporting adequate supplies of oxygen to all parts of your body. Sufficient amounts of iron are also important for your baby's development of blood and blood cells, MayoClinic.com adds. A prenatal vitamin will help you reach the 30 mg of iron that is recommended during pregnancy.

Calcium

Another critical nutrient for a healthy pregnancy is calcium. Your baby will take the calcium it needs from your body, so ensure you get enough to provide for both of you. Calcium is also important for proper function of your nerves, muscles and circulatory system. Get about 1,000 mg of calcium each day while you are pregnant; many prenatal vitamins supply at least some of this important nutrient.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D allows for the proper absorption of calcium, but many pregnant women fall short of this essential nutrient. MayoClinic.com notes that getting enough vitamin D is particularly important during your third trimester because your need for calcium during this time increases greatly. Most prenatal vitamins contain some vitamin D, but your doctor may recommend an additional supplement if your vitamin does not supply enough.