Prenatal Vitamins…DO You Really Need Them?

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 belonging to the omega- 3 family, and it is very important for brain development. This nutrient is crucial for the baby from the very beginning of pregnancy through the time of breast feeding. It is essential to the body, but much more so during pregnancy.

IRON

Iron is an important mineral, and most prenatal will have 30 to 40 mg. If a woman is anemic, she should talk to her health care provider about whether she will need more. Additionally, a natural practioner may recommend a different type of iron supplement. During the third trimester of pregnancy, the baby will use a tremendous amount of iron, which comes from the mother’s stored levels.

FOLIC ACID

Folic acid is a must during pregnancy. It is plentiful in dark leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, and whole grains, among other foods. It cuts the risk of birth defects in babies, and is almost always found in prenatal vitamins.

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.