You need essential vitamins to remain healthy, and the best way to get your vitamins is from food. When you're pregnant, your vitamin needs change, and your diet may not be able to provide you with all the vitamins you and your baby need. Talk with your doctor before taking any supplements, though. She can recommend the multivitamin that's best for you while you're pregnant.
Vitamin B6
Folic acid is one of the primary nutrients you need. It helps to ensure that your baby does not develop any spinal-cord or brain abnormalities. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says that sufficient folic acid can prevent 50 to 70 percent of birth defects. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, or vitamin B6. It is the nutrient used in vitamin supplements and fortified foods. Pregnant women over the age of 19 need about 600 mcg of folate per day.
Vitamin D and Calcium
Calcium is vital for maintaining your bone density, and your baby's bone and teeth development. Calcium also helps to maintain your muscles and circulatory and nervous systems. Calcium absorption, however, relies on vitamin D. Many prenatal vitamins don't provide sufficient vitamin D, which may require you to ask your doctor about supplementation. Pregnant women need at least 600 IU of vitamin D per day.
Iron
Iron is a mineral that pregnant women often lack. Yet it is important for your own and your baby's red blood-cell development and the prevention of anemia. Close to one-third of your body's iron stores are passed on to your baby, according to Kerr Health of North Carolina, requiring you to supplement. While adult women need about 18 mg of iron per day, in your second and third trimesters, your iron requirements shoot up to about 30 mg.
Omega-3 Fatty Acids
Fish oil and flaxseed oil have the omega-3 fatty acids that your baby needs for healthy brain development. Taking fish oil or flaxseed oil can also lower your risk of delivering a low birthweight baby, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services' Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. One of these supplements is often advised, in addition to a prenatal multivitamin, for pregnant women.
Member Comments