Who should take prenatal vitamins?

Anyone who is trying to get pregnant or is already pregnant, should take prenatal vitamins and maintain a healthy diet to ensure they have a safe and healthy pregnancy.

When can I start taking prenatal vitamins?

You can start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you start planning to conceive, and if not then, right after you find out you are pregnant.

Essential Prenatal Vitamins and Nutrients For A Pregnant Woman

Prenatal vitamins provide both the mother and the baby with essential nutrients during pregnancy. This ensures that the mother has a safe and healthy pregnancy, while the baby continues to develop.

Prenatal Vitamins And Their Benefits

Folic Acid (Vitamin B9)

Folic acid is a type of vitamin B that helps the body make new cells, such as red blood cells, brain cells and cells for the skin, hair and nails. It is also known as folate or vitamin B9. Folic acid can help with:

Preventing neural tube defects: Neural tube defects (NTD) are serious birth defects of the brain, spine or spinal cord. They occur in the first month of pregnancy, often before the woman even knows she is pregnant. Folic acid is the only kind of folate that has shown any ability to prevent neural tube defects. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, folic acid can reduce the risk of neural tube defects by up to 70%. NTDs occur when the spinal cord does not close properly and that causes open or closed abnormalities in the brain, spine or spinal cord. Spina bifida is the most common NTD.
Supporting healthy growth: Folic acid can help with the baby’s and the placenta’s healthy growth
Preventing birth defects: Folic acid can also help reduce the risk of birth defects like congenital heart disease, cleft palate and cleft lip.

Pregnant women are usually recommended to take 400 micrograms of folic acid every day. It can be difficult to get this amount from natural sources like leafy greens, which is why it is best to take supplements.

Calcium

Calcium is an essential mineral for many functions in the body, including bone and teeth health. Here are some ways that calcium supplements can help pregnant women.

Prevents preeclampsia: Calcium supplements reduce the risk of preeclampsia, especially in women with a low calcium intake and high body mass index.
Bone health: Calcium supplements can help improve the bone mineral content in mothers and help develop the baby’s bones
Breast milk: Calcium supplements can help with breast milk production and increase the concentration of calcium in breast milk.

Pregnant women, especially those with a low calcium intake are recommended to take at least 1.5–2.0 grams of calcium daily. If this amount is not met by food, calcium supplements are a good idea. Some calcium supplements also contain vitamin D, which helps the body absorb calcium.

Iron

Iron is a mineral that is necessary for the body's growth and development. Iron is used by the body to make haemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that carries oxygen to different parts of the body. During pregnancy, iron supplements can help you in several ways like

Reduce the risk of anaemia: Iron supplements can prevent anaemia, which is common during pregnancy and is triggered by an iron deficiency.
Improves immunity: An iron deficiency can cause the immune system to malfunction, which is why iron supplements are good for immunity
Improves birth outcomes: Iron supplements can reduce the risk of low birth weight and preterm birth. It can increase the average birth weight as well.

Pregnant women are advised to take 30-60 mg of iron as soon as possible after they have conceived. You can try liquid or chewable supplements if you have trouble with pills.

Vitamin D

Vitamin D is a fat-soluble mineral that is essential for good health and helps your body absorb calcium. Vitamin D can have several benefits for pregnant women, including:

Immune tolerance: Vitamin D is very beneficial for building immune tolerance for pregnant women
Foetal development: Vitamin D helps with the foetus’s skeletal development, tooth enamel formation and general foetal growth and development
Placentation: Vitamin D is a key nutrient for placentation, which is the migration and remodelling of spiral arteries to form the placenta.

Pregnant women are recommended to take 10 micrograms of vitamin D per day, however, supplementation is only recommended to women who cannot meet this amount naturally, or based on climate. For example, sunlight is one of the most important sources of vitamin D, so a lot of pregnant women are suggested to take vitamin D supplements in less sunny months like autumn and winter.

Iodine

Iodine is a trace element that is essential for human and animal development. It is a mineral that is essential for the body to produce thyroid hormones. Iodine is essential for pregnancy because

Thyroid hormones: In pregnancy, iodine intake should be increased because it is needed to make more thyroid hormones for both baby and mother. Low levels of iodine during pregnancy are associated with a subsequent decreased IQ (Intelligence quotient) in the child accompanied by poor school performance
Baby’s development: Iodine is necessary for the baby’s brain, nervous system and spinal cord development. It also regulates the rate at which the baby uses energy or the baby’s metabolism.

Pregnant women are advised to get 220 micrograms of iodine every day. The thyroid gland needs iodine to function properly. Pregnant women are particularly sensitive to iodine deficiencies. Iodine supplements are only recommended if a woman is unable to meet the required needs through her food.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids (DHA and EPA)

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) and eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) are two of the main types of omega-3 fatty acids. These are essential nutrients found in supplements and food. Omega-3 fatty acid supplements have several benefits for pregnant women and their babies such as

Reduced risk of preterm birth: Omega-3s can help reduce the risk of preterm birth, which is an inflammatory pregnancy outcome
Brain and eye development: Omega-3s, especially DHAs are essential for the early brain and eye development of the foetus.
Reduced risk of postpartum depression: Omega-3 supplements can reduce the risk of depression after giving birth
Reduced risk of asthma and allergies: Omega-3 supplements reduce the risk of asthma and allergies in the baby

Pregnant women should take 200 to 300 milligrams of omega-3s per day. This can be done by eating two servings of low-mercury, fatty fish every day or by taking supplements.

Vitamin C

Vitamin C is a water-soluble nutrient that benefits the body in several different ways. It is also known as ascorbic acid. It is beneficial for pregnant women in many ways.

Strengthens immunity: Vitamin C supplements can help maintain a stronger immune system for both mother and baby
Prevents preeclampsia: Vitamin C can help prevent preeclampsia, which is a severe blood pressure disorder that develops during pregnancy
Baby’s development: Vitamin C helps with baby’s skin, cartilage and bone development

Pregnant women are advised to take 85mg of vitamin C per day. This can be achieved by incorporating citrus fruits like oranges and tomatoes into the diet. It can also be done by using vitamin C supplements.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an essential mineral that plays a key role in many bodily functions. They can benefit pregnant women in several different ways such as

Improving sleep: Magnesium supplements can help pregnant women get a better quality of sleep. Pregnant women need more sleep than non-pregnant people, and this can be hard to come by. Magnesium can be helpful.
Improving moods: Magnesium supplements can have mood-boosting effects
Reduced migraine symptoms: Taking magnesium supplements can help reduce migraine symptoms during pregnancy

Depending on your age, you will be recommended to take 350-400 mg of magnesium per day. Usually, it is easy to achieve this with a healthy, balanced diet, however, your doctor may recommend supplements if you are unable to meet this requirement naturally.

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is a water-soluble vitamin that helps the body perform essential functions like red blood cell formation and DNA synthesis. Vitamin B12 is necessary for the mother’s and the baby’s health for many reasons.

Brain and spinal cord development: Vitamin B12 helps with the baby’s brain and spinal cord development. A deficiency of this nutrient can lead to neural tube defects such as anencephaly, encephalocele and spina bifida.
Red blood cell production: Vitamin B12 and folic acid work together for better production of red blood cells. A deficiency can lead to megaloblastic anaemia which causes weakness and fatigue
Nervous system health: Vitamin B12 is essential for maintaining good nervous system health

Pregnant women are recommended 2.6mg of vitamin B12 per day, which is only slightly more than the amount recommended for non-pregnant people.

How You Should Choose The Right Prenatal Supplements

Before taking any supplements, always consult your doctor. The best prenatal vitamins usually have multiple nutrients in one pill, so you do not have to keep taking pills all day. Look for prenatal vitamins that help you meet multiple nutritional needs together, for example, always choose a calcium supplement that also has vitamin D, to help absorb calcium better. Ideally, you should only take prenatal vitamins that are prescribed by your doctor. It is also important to remember that supplements alone will not provide you with the necessary nutrients and that maintaining a balanced, healthy diet while you are pregnant is the most important factor. Taking prenatal supplements during pregnancy is beneficial for both mother and baby, but they should only be taken under the guidance and prescription of a doctor. Speak to your doctor about any questions you have regarding prenatal supplements and before taking any new supplements. Prenatal supplements should be accompanied by a healthy diet filled with a variety of essential nutrients to ensure you have a safe and healthy pregnancy.

FAQs on Essential Prenatal Vitamins and Nutrients For A Pregnant Woman

Who should take prenatal vitamins?Anyone who is trying to get pregnant or is already pregnant, should take prenatal vitamins and maintain a healthy diet to ensure they have a safe and healthy pregnancy.
When can I start taking prenatal vitamins?You can start taking prenatal vitamins as soon as you start planning to conceive, and if not then, right after you find out you are pregnant.