A question that many friends have asked me many times and finally I want to answer it by talking very specifically about various vitamins and minerals that play an important role during pregnancy and even before getting pregnant.
Do I need to take a prenatal vitamin?
Yes, you do need to take a prenatal and it has never been more important to consume a vitamin before in your life. A prenatal is like an insurance policy, it makes sure you are consuming the necessary amounts of certain vitamins and minerals to nourish your baby and yourself during pregnancy. This does not diminish the importance of eating healthy, it is the time to eat healthy and colorful, not the time to measure calories or consume excess sugar. A prenatal will complement a healthy diet, not replace it. It has the ability to fill gaps and deficiencies of some vitamins in your diet.
Benefits of consuming a prenatal
+ Fill gaps and deficiencies in your diet. No one eats a nutritionally perfect diet every day, especially early in the pregnancy when nothing is appetizing and you may be experiencing gastritis, upset stomach, nausea, among other things. It is like a nutritional insurance policy.
+ Reduces the risk of birth defects. Probably the most important vitamin in a prenatal is folic acid or folate. Consuming enough of this vitamin from before conceiving and during the first stage of pregnancy decreases the risk of birth defects such as spina bifida and congenital heart defects.
+ Could reduce the risk of autism. Studies have shown that babies of moms who consumed prenatals preconception had a lower risk of autism.
+ Reduces the risk of premature births. Studies have shown that consuming a prenatal vitamin reduces the risk of having a premature birth. Partly because of vitamin B12, as it helps prevent low birth weight.
+ Decreases nausea. Prenatals contain vitamin B6, which reduces nausea. Studies showed that women who took a 10 mg vitamin B6 supplement before conceiving experienced less nausea in the early stage of pregnancy.
+ Promote fertility. A healthy body without any nutritional deficiencies is a more fertile body.
When do I start consuming a prenatal?
Before conceiving. It is NEVER too early to start caring for your future baby. A National Institute of Health (NIH) survey indicates that the majority of women ages 18 to 35 do not consume a nutritionally adequate diet. For this reason, many doctors recommend consuming prenatals if they are not on any type of contraceptive or up to 6 months before conceiving to avoid problems. You should also continue to consume your prenatal after giving birth to aid the body during recovery and support lactation.
What should I check in a prenatal?
Not all prenatals are created equal, nor are they regulated by any type of entity to make sure they contain what you need.
+ Third party tested.
Since 1994 the supplement industry has not been regulated by any entity to ensure its composition and safety. Unfortunately, this means that a prenatal nutrition label may say that it has a certain amount of some vitamin when it actually contains only half or less.
For this reason, some supplement companies that want to be transparent with their consumers introduce their products to independent third-party tests that verify the composition of the product. This third-party test is entirely voluntary for nutritional supplement companies but it is definitely the highest standard that exists. These tests also check if there is any kind of toxic substance present.
The most recognized organizations of third party testing are: NSF (National Science foundation), USP (United States Pharmacopeia), BSCG (Banned substances control group), GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice), Consumer Lab.
+ Folic Acid or Folate minimum 600 mcg.
Folic Acid is in its synthetic form and folate when found in food. It is the most important vitamin to prevent cardiac, brain and spinal abnormalities such as spina bifida. The neutral tube forms in the first month of pregnancy, and many women don’t even know they are pregnant in the first month. This is why it is important to start consuming a prenatal vitamin long before conceiving.
+ Iodine minimum 150 mcg
Iodine is very important in the development of a fetus’ brain and thyroid. Many women do not consume adequate amounts of iodine, especially women on plant based diets.
+ Iron 18-27 mg
During pregnancy a woman’s blood volume increases by up to 50% for this reason we need 27 mg of iron for the body to produce enough blood for mom and the developing baby. Iron also plays an important role in the transport of oxygen and nutrients during pregnancy and is critical for the growth and development of the baby. Lastly, it also prevents anemia during pregnancy which could cause premature labor.
+ Vitamin D 600 IU
Unfortunately, vitamin D deficiency is very common. Vitamin D helps calcium absorption to maintain mom’s good bone health and support the development of the baby’s skeleton. Vitamin D also prevents pre-eclampsia and postpartum depression.
+ Vitamin B6 2 mg
This vitamin helps us control nausea during pregnancy.
+ Vitamin A not more than 4000 IU or 800 mcg
Vitamin A is a fat soluble vitamin that can be toxic to the body. The best way to avoid vitamin A toxicity is to buy a supplement that has vitamin A in the form of beta-carotene, a non-toxic version of vitamin A.
+ Derived from plants vs. synthetic
A vitamin derived from plants is gentler on the stomach and can cause less nausea than a vitamin with synthetic components.
+ Dairy and soy free
Prenatal vitamins can cause an upset stomach especially when it contains dairy or soy, particularly in women with sensitivities to these 2 elements. By being free of these things they also ensure a certain transparency from the companies that manufacture supplements by not adding cheap elementos to fill the nutritional amounts.
There are many other essential vitamins and minerals for a pregnant mom and baby. In this article I mention the main ones but not the only ones. Always keep in mind that you must eat HEALTHY during pregnancy and that a prenatal should complement a healthy diet and not replace it. So don’t forget to eat your fruits and vegetables <3
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