Truth is we’ve been delaying this article for a while until we had enough information & facts to allow us to enlighten our readers. Hopefully by the end of this article you’ll have no doubts about this subject.
What Are Prenatal Vitamins?
Prenatal vitamins are supplements made for pregnant women to give their bodies the vitamins and minerals needed for a healthy pregnancy. Your doctor may suggest that you take them when you begin to plan for pregnancy, as well as while you’re pregnant. Eating a healthy diet is always a wise idea — especially during pregnancy.
It’s also a good idea to take a prenatal vitamin to help cover any nutritional gaps in your diet.
What To Look For In Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins help ensure that you get the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy.
What Are Prenatal Vitamins?
Prenatal vitamins are specifically geared toward women thinking about becoming pregnant or who are pregnant.
The concept behind prenatal vitamins is that some of a women’s nutritional and vitamin needs increase with pregnancy. A baby especially needs certain nutrients to develop. Expectant moms don’t always take in enough nutrients in their daily diets.
Prenatal vitamins are meant to bridge the nutritional gap. It’s important to remember that prenatal vitamins are a supplement to a healthy diet for expectant moms. They aren’t a replacement for a healthy diet.
This contributes to a woman’s calcium requirements but doesn’t account for all of her daily calcium needs. Calcium is important for all women because it keeps their bones strong. Taking in enough folic acid is linked with reducing neural tube defects like spina bifida.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends that pregnant women (and those trying to get pregnant) take in 600 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day from all sources. Since it may be difficult to get this much folic acid from foods alone, a supplement is recommended. Foods that have folic acid (also known as folate) include beans, leafy green vegetables, asparagus, and broccoli.
Many fortified foods including cereal, bread, and pasta have folate too. This is 8 mg more than women who aren’t pregnant. These could include: omega-3 fatty acids
copper
zinc
vitamin E
vitamin A
vitamin C.
When Should I Take Prenatal Vitamins?
If you’re trying to conceive or are pregnant, your doctor will likely recommend that you take them. Women who are carrying multiples, pregnant teenagers, and pregnant women with a history of substance abuse have a higher risk of vitamin and mineral deficiencies. Prenatal vitamins are particularly important for these women.
Prenatal vitamins can serve as a further supplement to lactating women who need plenty of nutrients to make breast milk. Even if you aren’t trying to get pregnant, you still might want to take a folic acid supplement. Because the brain and spinal cord are already forming at the early stages of pregnancy, folic acid is vital.
Women of childbearing age could also eat more folate-rich foods as an alternative to taking a supplement.
Can I Take Prenatal Vitamins If I Don’T Want To Get Pregnant?
Prenatal vitamins are specific to the needs of pregnant and breastfeeding women. Taking too much folic acid each day can have the adverse side effect of masking a vitamin B-12 deficiency. Some claim that taking prenatal vitamins makes hair grow thicker or faster, and that nails could grow faster or stronger too.
They could also have adverse side effects.