Are There Really Benefits To Taking Prenatal Vitamins?

Prenatal vitamins have become very popular among some women because it is believed that they help prevent birth defects. It is probably a good idea to supplement with prenatal vitamins because during pregnancy, both the mother and the child have increased needs for certain nutrients like folic acid and iron during this time and prenatal vitamins will prove helpful. Women who are pregnant often find that their doctors prescribe a prenatal vitamin. However, evidence has emerged that even for those women that are planning to conceive can benefit from prenatal vitamins. Prenatal vitamins could prevent potential nutritional deficiencies during this crucial time.

Most of the prenatal vitamins currently available are meant to make-up for possible nutritional failings. They almost always include such nutrients as folic acid, calcium, and iron. These nutrients lessen the likelihood of birth defects caused by nutritional deficiencies.

IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS FOR MOTHER AND CHILD:

DHA

DHA is a fatty acid that is crucial for baby’s brain development from the earliest stages of pregnancy through the breast feeding years. DHA is a type of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids belonging to omega 3 families. There are two types of essential fatty acids - omega 3 and omega 6 families. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that appears to be important for brain, eye, and heart health. The typical American diet is usually deficient in DHA.

IRON

Iron is a mineral and is another important nutrient in pregnancy. Most prenatal supplements will include iron in their mixture. During the third and final trimester of pregnancy the baby will draw large amounts of iron from the mother. It will obtain this iron from the stored levels in the mother’s body.

FOLIC ACID

Folic Acid is very essential for a healthy pregnancy and healthy fetal development. It has been shown to decrease the risk of birth defects like spine bifida or other neural tube defects. Folic acid is naturally found in dark, leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, dried beans, and whole grain breads and cereals. Most cereals are also fortified with many other vitamins and can be a good dietary choice for the pregnant woman who cannot tolerate vitamins. Folic acid is an essential nutrient that can help prevent birth defects in newborns.

Folic acid has been proven crucial for a baby’s neural tube development, especially during the first trimester when women are most likely to suffer from nausea and vomiting. In fact, some recommend women should start taking about 400 micrograms of folate at least a month before they start trying to conceive.

CALCIUM

Calcium is extremely important as well as essential to both the mother and child in pregnancy. Calcium and magnesium help protect the mother’s bones during this time when the demands of both her body as well as the baby’s body for these nutrients must be met. A good prenatal vitamin will contain calcium, but the mother must also eat a well balanced diet to obtain calcium as well.

Not all prenatal vitamins are of the same quality of course. They all tend to have all of the basic nutrients in them that are necessary at such a crucial time for a woman’s body. However, the best prenatal will provide what mother and child needs, at just the right amounts, as well as avoiding amounts that tend to toxicity.