Prenatal Vitamins Are Designed Just For Pregnancy And Lactation
Prenatal vitamins are specifically for women who are pregnant or nursing their babies. Some doctors also recommend that any woman planning a pregnancy begin taking prenatal vitamins about three months before a planned conception. It is very important to both the health of the baby and the health of the mother that she take vitamins just in case her diet does not provide enough of the vitamins she and her baby need. The nutrients folic acid, calcium and iron are especially important.
The Importance Of Folic Acid
Folic acid is a B vitamin. Hans R. Larsen, MSc ChE, cites research showing that 88% of all Americans are deficient in folic acid. The Mayo Clinic strongly recommends women of childbearing age who are planning to become pregnant take 800 micrograms of folic acid or folate every day. After conception, the need for folic acid increases to 1000 mcg per day. Some of this should come from food sources, such as nuts, beans, citrus fruits or leafy green vegetables.
Why is folic acid so important? Folic acid is absolutely crucial to prevent neural tube birth defects. The most common neural tube defect is Spina Bifida. Babies born with Spina Bifida are born with open spines and exposed nerves. In other words, the spine and nerves are visible and outside of the body because of this defect. Nerves become damaged and the child can have variable degrees of paralysis and other consequences from being born with an open spine.
Folic acid has been shown in many research studies to prevent this birth defect. These defects develop very early in pregnancy, usually by the 28th day following conception; this is a time when many women do not know they are pregnant. This is why it is so critical for women to be sure that they are getting the folic acid they need prior to pregnancy.
The Importance Of Calcium
Calcium is another essential mineral during pregnancy. As the baby grows, he or she is using some of the calcium in the mother’s body to grow. Without enough calcium, the mother’s bones can be at risk for developing osteoporosis. Every adult man and woman who is 19-50 years old, including pregnant women, need 1000 mg of calcium each day.
Beginning at age 51, the calcium requirement increases to 1200 mg per day. This is the recommended dosage for all people. Prenatal vitamins are meant to be used as a supplement, not to fulfill all of the nutritional requirements a person has. As such, the calcium level of most prenatal vitamins is only about 200-300 mg. Another source of calcium is necessary to meet the recommended number of milligrams per day.
The Importance Of Iron
The recommended iron intake for non-pregnant women ages 19-50 is just 18 mg per day. When pregnant, a woman’s iron needs increase to 27 mg per day. Iron supplements will help prevent anemia and make sure that the mother’s and baby’s blood have enough red blood cells to carry oxygen efficiently. Half of all pregnant women are deficient in iron. Iron deficiency has been shown to increase the risk of premature labor and low birth weight. Premature labor and low birth weight come with their own sets of health problems.
Pregnancy is a time when many things are out of your control. Will your baby have all of his or her fingers and toes? Will he or she have a birth defect? Will you miscarry? All of these things are potential problems that you can do nothing about. One of the things you can control is whether or not you take in enough of the necessary vitamins and minerals, particularly folic acid, calcium and iron. Give your baby the best possible start in life. Make sure you are taking good quality prental vitamins throughout your pregnancy and while you are nursing.
Take Your Prental Vitamins And Give Your Baby A Great Start In Life
Obstetricians and midwives all recommend that pregnant women take prental vitamins to supplement their diets. A few doctors and midwives tell women to begin prenatal vitamins three months prior to conceiving. Making sure that the mother and baby get enough vitamins is critical. Folic acid, calcium and iron are three of the most essential during pregnancy.
Folic Acid Protects Against Neural Tube Defects
According to Hans R. Larsen, MSc, ChE, about 88% of all Americans do not get enough folic acid in their diets. This means that there is a good chance you are not getting enough. Folic acid is one of the B vitamins. Women of childbearing age who are planning a pregnancy should take 800 micrograms (mcg) of folate or folic acid every day. Once pregnant, this amount should be increased to 1000 mcg every day. Ideally, most folic acid should come from foods, including green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans and citrus fruits.
What is the big deal about getting enough folic acid? A deficiency in folic acid can cause a neural tube birth defect, the most common of which is Spina Bifida. In a neural tube defect, the baby’s spine and nerves are not safely inside of the body. Rather, the baby is born with an open spine and nerves. That is to say, the spine and nerves are outside of the body, visible to the eye. In this unprotected state, nerves are damaged. Although surgery can correct this defect, the damage is done to the nerves and the child will have varying degrees of paralysis and other consequences from being born with an open spine.
There is something you can do to prevent this birth defect. You can take the recommended dosages of folic acid prior to and throughout your pregnancy. Since this neural tube defect occurs very early in pregnancy, within the first 28 days, all women should take 400 mcg of folic acid as a matter of course. Folic acid has been shown to prevent neural tube defects in many studies.
Calcium Prevents Against Bone Loss
Growing a new body is a very complex task that draws on the mother’s body. Taking a calcium supplement is essential to prevent bone loss in the mother. A lack of calcium sets a mother up for a greater risk of osteoporosis and a variety of other health problems. The recommended dosage of calcium for anyone between the ages of 19 and 51 is 1000 mg every day, this includes pregnant women.
After age 51, the recommended dose of calcium per day is 1200 mg. Keep in mind that prenatal vitamins are only meant to supplement the diet, not supply the entire amount of calcium necessary. Most prenatal vitamins provide only 200-300 mg. So, to meet all of your calcium needs and the needs of your baby, it is important to eat calcium-rich foods and not rely solely on your prenatal vitamin for you calcium needs.
Iron Prevents Low Birth Weight
Iron is essential to red blood cell formation. Red blood cells carry oxygen to the entire body. Without enough iron and red blood cells, you will experience fatigue and a host of other symptoms. A full 50% of all pregnant women do not get enough iron. Women who do not get enough iron have been shown to go into labor too early and have low birth weight babies. Pregnant women should get 27 mg of iron each day.
Mother Nature controls most of a baby’s development before birth. But, there are things you can influence and defects you can prevent by taking the recommended amounts of prental vitamins. Be sure you do everything you can to give your baby a good start in life. Take your vitamins.
You Can Prevent Birth Defects By Taking Prental Vitamins
Women who are planning to become pregnant or who are currently pregnant should take prenatal vitamins to correct any deficiencies in their diets. While prenatal vitamins will not supply all of the vitamins and minerals a woman needs, they will supplement shortfalls in the woman’s diet. Taking prental vitamins will ensure that the baby is healthy at birth and that the mother remains healthy throughout her pregnancy. Three vitamins and minerals that are absolutely essential during pregnancy are folic acid, calcium and iron. Being deficient in any of these can create major health problems for the baby and the mother, as well as create complications in the pregnancy itself.
Folic Acid: A Required B Vitamin
Research revealed that an astounding 88% of all Americans do not get enough folic acid. According to the Mayo Clinic, all women planning a pregnancy need 800 micrograms of folic acid each day. Upon conception the folic acid requirements increase to 1000 mcg a day.
Neural tube defects are one of the most preventable birth defects. Folic acid can prevent neural tube defects like Spina Bifida. When a baby is born with Spina Bifida, his or her spine is open and outside of the body, not closed and protected. Nerves are exposed and usually experience some kind of damage, which results in paralysis, cerebral palsy and other health issues that will last a lifetime.
Neural tube defects occur by the 28th day of pregnancy. This is well before most women even realize that they are expecting a baby. Research has shown that folic acid can prevent neural tube defects. Every woman should take 400 mcg of folic acid or folate per day to make sure their folic acid needs are met.
Calcium: A Required Mineral
All men and women, including pregnant women, who are between 19 and 50 years old need 1000 mg of calcium per day. The baby uses the mother’s stores of calcium and the calcium that the mother eats. If the mother is not getting enough calcium to meet her own needs and the needs of the baby, she could develop health problems, such as bone loss and osteoporosis.
Starting at 51 years old, calcium requirements for all adults increase to 1200 mg per day. Most prenatal vitamins contain only 200-300 mg of calcium. Therefore, they cannot be relied upon to supply an entire day’s calcium requirements.
Iron: Required For Red Blood Cell Formation
A full half of all pregnant women are deficient in iron, or anemic. Without iron, the body cannot make the necessary number of red blood cells to carry oxygen throughout the body. This results in fatigue and other symptoms, as well as low birth weight and premature labor amongst pregnant women. Iron needs increase from 18 mg a day for females who are not pregnant to 27 mg a day for pregnant females.
Pregnancy is an exciting time. It can also be a time of worrying about whether or not the baby will be healthy or not. While much of a baby’s development is essentially out of the mother’s hands, there are some things that she can do to help the baby get the best start in life possible. She can make sure that she does not smoke or drink alcohol, eats right and takes her prental vitamins as her doctor recommends.
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