Best vitamins for pregnant women
Vitamins are very essential for the health of a pregnant women and her baby this is the reason she is advised to take prenatal vitamins during her pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins are specially formulated in order avoid nutritional deficiencies in the diet of a mother. Best quality prenatal supplement are fully loaded with numerous vitamins and minerals among them the folic acid, iron, and calcium are especially more important vitamins and are best vitamins for pregnant women.
Reason why folic acid, iron and calcium are best for a pregnant women:
- Folic acid helps prevent the risk of “neural tube”, a serious birth defects of the brain and spinal and the spinal cord in which the baby spine is not closed. The exposed nerves are damaged, which often results in mental retardation, incontinence and paralysis.
- Neural tube develops usually occurs before the women realize that she is pregnant, means first 28 to 30 days after conception, this is because of she is totally unaware and unplanned at that time.
- According to the Department of Health it is recommended that you should take 400 micrograms of folic acid daily while you are trying to conceive, for at least first 12 weeks of pregnancy.
- In case if you have a prior child with a neural tube defect then you are advised to consult with your doctor for the appropriate doses of folic acid.
- It will be more beneficial taking some higher doses of (up to 4,000 micrograms) folic acid for at least one month before and during the first trimester.
- Some excellent natural sources of folic acid are nuts, citrus fruits, beans, green leafy vegetables and many fortified breakfast cereals. You can also take supplements.
- Calcium is essential in prevention of bone density loss of the mother, as the foetus uses the mineral for bone growth.
- Iron helps both the mother and baby’s blood carry oxygen.
- It is always better to take essential vitamins from your diet rather than supplements. But, most women need supplements in order to ensure that they are getting adequate levels of these minerals.
- If your prenatal vitamins make you sick, talk to your GP. He or she may be able to prescribe a different kind of prenatal vitamin (for example, chewable or liquid vitamins as opposed to those you swallow whole may be better tolerated by some women).
