Calcium plays an important role in a woman's bone health and becomes even more important when she becomes pregnant. While many prenatal vitamins contain calcium, they do not contain enough for a woman's daily requirement. A healthy diet often makes up the rest; however, some women may benefit from calcium supplements during pregnancy.
Calcium and Pregnancy
Calcium is important for all women as it contributes to both bone and tooth health, as well as playing a role in muscle and nervous system performance. However, during pregnancy, a woman is not only taking care of her own bones, but also those of her developing baby. A baby needs calcium to grow its bones, and will take it from mom if necessary. Mothers-to-be who do not get enough calcium during their pregnancy risk losing bone density, which may lead to bone disease such as osteoporosis later in life.
Calcium Recommendations
The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends pregnant women get at least 1000 mg of calcium every day. This includes a combination of both naturally-occurring and synthetic calcium from supplements. In fact, a majority of this total may come from your diet. The Cleveland Clinic reports that even an optimal prenatal vitamin contains between 200 and 300 mg of calcium, which is only about 20 to 30 percent of your daily needs. Taking a prenatal alone is not enough; you need extra calcium every day either from your diet, or through another calcium supplement.
Dietary Sources of Calcium
Fortunately, most women can get plenty of calcium in their diets, provided they eat a wide range of foods. Calcium is plentiful in dairy products, but it can also come from other unlikely sources like leafy greens as well as canned salmon. If you're wondering whether or not you are obtaining enough calcium, keep in mind that 1 cup of skim milk contains around 300 mg and 8 oz. of yogurt has over 400 mg. One serving of each, combined with your prenatal vitamin, almost brings you to your daily recommendation. Even if you are not a fan of dairy, many foods are fortified with calcium including soy milk, cereals and juice. Read labels and tally your intake over the course of a few days. Chances are that you average more calcium every day than you realize.
Supplementing
If your diet is low in natural sources of calcium, a supplement may be necessary. However, never take a supplement during pregnancy without checking first with your doctor. The American Pregnancy Association reports that women who combine different supplements during their pregnancy run a higher risk of a vitamin or mineral overdose than the average person. Synthetic supplements may contain higher concentrations of calcium than food sources, and taking multiple pills plus a prenatal may push your intake too high. While your daily minimum intake is important, so is your daily maximum intake: the American Pregnancy Association warns against taking more than twice your daily limit of vitamins or minerals. It is possible to take a calcium supplement safely during pregnancy, but it may not be necessary.
Member Comments