If you're trying to conceive and eating a well-balanced diet, congratulations on taking the first steps towards having a healthy pregnancy and baby. Still, prenatal vitamin supplements that contain important pregnancy vitamins and minerals can fill in the gaps of your diet, reduce your risk of complications and boost your future child's chances of being healthy once she's born. Know what to look for in a prenatal vitamin to properly sift through the shelves of options.
Folic Acid
You may reduce your baby's risk of developing neural tube defects such as spina bifida by as much as 70 percent if you consume enough folic acid before the sperm meets the egg and in your early months of pregnancy, according to BabyCenter. You may also reduce your risk of high blood pressure during pregnancy and lower your baby's risk of having a cleft lip or palate and heart defects. You can take in the natural version of folic acid in foods such as leafy greens, but you should also take the supplement because your body better absorbs the synthetic version. Aim for at least 400mcg of folic acid per day but ask your doctor if you should take more.
Calcium
If you don't have enough calcium in your diet, your body will begin taking the calcium from your bones once you're pregnant and give it to your baby to ensure that he grows properly. This can up your risk of developing a bone thinning disease called osteoporosis later in life. Getting enough calcium in your diet also helps keep your circulatory, muscular and nervous systems in tip-top shape, according to March of Dimes. Aim for at least 1,000mg per day before, during and after your pregnancy if you're over 18 and get at least 1,300mg per day if you're 18 or under. You should be able to get a fair amount through your multivitamin but also get calcium from sources such as milk and leafy greens.
Iron
Iron, which can also be found in a quality prenatal vitamin, offers you and your future baby a variety of health benefits. For instance, it will help increase your level of red blood cells, which can improve your body's ability to circulate oxygen to its organs and ensure that your baby is receiving enough oxygen. It can also promote muscle health in you and your baby and reduce your risk of giving birth early or having a baby with a low birth weight. Most prenatal vitamins contain about 30 to 40mg of iron, but your doctor may recommend that you take more if you're anemic, according to What to Expect.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D helps you maintain sufficient levels of phosphorus and calcium in your body, which helps you build healthy teeth and bones in your baby. Getting enough vitamin D can also reduce your risk of having high blood pressure during pregnancy or needing to give birth via c-section. Also, if you're low in vitamin D your baby may be born without enough in her body and have a health condition such as rickets or delayed development. You need at least 400 IU of vitamin D per day--which you can find in a prenatal vitamin--but your doctor may recommend that you take more.
References
- BabyCenter: Trying to conceive? Five changes to make to your diet now
- American Pregnancy Association; Prenatal Vitamins; October 2008
- What to Expect: Choosing the Best Prenatal Vitamin
- BabyCenter: Prenatal vitamins: A nutritional insurance policy
- BabyCenter: Low vitamin D levels tied to pregnancy complications
- What to Expect: Prenatal Vitamins
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