What Are Prenatal Vitamins?
What To Look For In Prenatal Vitamins
Prenatal vitamins help ensure that you get the nutrients you need for a healthy pregnancy. Look for prenatal vitamins that have: 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid
400 IU of vitamin D
200 to 300 milligrams (mg) of calcium
70 mg of vitamin C
3 mg of thiamine
2 mg of riboflavin
20 mg of niacin
6 mcg of vitamin B12
10 mg of vitamin E
15 mg of zinc
17 mg of iron
150 micrograms of iodine In some cases, your doctor will give you a prescription for a certain type of prenatal vitamin.
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Egnant women should take before and during pregnancy.
From what you should eat and drink, to what to expect from pregnancy and birth, or what products to buy and what to run from – chances are there is a lot of well-meaning but overwhelming advice coming your way. One thing that expecting mothers might hear about is supplements. Below, we’ve listed the supplements pregnant women should be taking during pregnancy and why.
What to take: folic acid/folate tablets which contain at least 400 micrograms, every day, from 12 weeks before conception to the end of the first trimester (first 12 weeks, or three months, of pregnancy). Iodine
Iodine is essential for your baby’s brain development and nervous system. Women should take iodine supplements, and eat iodine rich foods like seafood, iodine fortified bread and iodised table salt, throughout pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
What to take: iodine supplements which contain 150 micrograms, every day, from 3 months before and throughout pregnancy and while breastfeeding. Talk to your doctor about checking your iron levels, and eat plenty of iron rich foods while you are pregnant. Consult with your doctor.
Other supplements
Pregnant women should aim to get as many needed nutrients from their diet as possible, and talk to their doctor before adding any other supplements to their routine. Try to eat a varied diet of nutritious foods from all five food groups – find more tips about healthy eating during pregnancy in our blogs ‘Is it true I can eat for two during pregnancy?’.
Frequently Asked Questions
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En “eat for two,” but now we know that it’s dangerous to eat twice your usual amount of food during pregnancy.
Instead of “eating for two,” think of it as eating twice as healthy. That’s roughly the calorie count of a glass of skim milk and half a sandwich. Women carrying twins should consume about 600 extra calories a day, and women carrying triplets should take in 900 extra calories a da.