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With your nutritional needs heightened during this special time, ensuring you get enough vitamin C through a balanced diet can have a meaningful effect. Understanding why vitamin C matters helps you make better choices for a healthy and strong pregnancy.
Key Benefits of Vitamin C During Pregnancy
Vitamin C provides numerous benefits during pregnancy, supporting maternal and foetal health. Here’s a list of its key benefits:- Boosts immune health: Vitamin C strengthens the immune system, protecting against infections. It improves your body’s ability to fight off harmful pathogens and lowers the risk of illnesses that could impact your pregnancy.
- Acts as an antioxidant: It serves as a powerful antioxidant, neutralising harmful free radicals caused by pollution or metabolic processes. This helps prevent damage to cells, which could lead to health issues like chronic inflammation, cancer, or heart disease.
- Supports collagen production: Every day, vitamin C is essential for producing collagen, a critical protein for building and maintaining healthy skin, bones, cartilage, tendons, and ligaments.
- Helps in iron absorption: Vitamin C helps your body absorb non-heme iron from plant-based foods. This prevents iron deficiency anaemia, a common issue during pregnancy. Adequate iron levels support oxygen flow and energy production.
- Wound healing: Vitamin C speeds up wound healing and supports recovery from pregnancy-related stresses, such as skin stretching or C-section incisions.
- Supports foetal development: Vitamin C contributes to the development of the baby’s organs, tissues, and nervous system by facilitating cell growth and repair.
- Reduces risk of preeclampsia: The antioxidant properties of vitamin C help reduce the risk of preeclampsia, which is a pregnancy complication marked by high blood pressure. It improves blood vessel function and lowers oxidative stress.
- Improves skin health: Vitamin C supports the production of healthy, elastic skin, helping to minimise stretch marks.
- Relieves constipation: Constipation is a common issue in early pregnancy caused by hormonal changes that slow digestion. Vitamin C helps ease constipation by promoting smoother bowel movements.
Recommended Vitamin C Intake for Pregnant Women
Pregnant women typically need more vitamin C than those who aren't pregnant. Breastfeeding mothers require even more to support their babies and replenish their bodies.Even though vitamin C is water-soluble, it’s not recommended to take large amounts during pregnancy. The maximum daily intake should not exceed 2,000 mg.
Certain factors can increase vitamin C requirements:
- Smoking or secondhand smoke
- Pollution exposure
- Stress
Which Foods Are Rich in Vitamin C?
Incorporating the right foods helps you get enough of this crucial nutrient. Below are some of the best sources of Vitamin C.Fruits rich in vitamin C
- All citrus fruits like lemons, oranges, grapefruits, etc, are great sources of Vitamin C
- Kiwis
- Strawberries
- Tomatoes
- Raspberries
Vegetables rich in vitamin C
- Red, green, and yellow capsicum
- White potatoes
- Cauliflower
- Cabbage
- Broccoli
- Brussels sprouts
- Spinach
- Eat fruits and vegetables either raw or lightly steamed.
- Avoid prolonged boiling as it causes vitamin C to leach into the cooking water.
- Store fruits and vegetables in a cool, dark place to prevent nutrient loss.
Complications Associated With Low Vitamin C Intake During Pregnancy
Low levels of Vitamin C during pregnancy can lead to various health complications for the mother and the baby. It’s important to maintain adequate Vitamin C intake to avoid the following risks:- Scurvy: This condition is rare, but it can be serious. Its symptoms include bleeding gums, joint pain, and poor wound healing.
- Preeclampsia: Low vitamin C levels may increase oxidative stress, contributing to a higher risk of preeclampsia.
- Low birth weight: Insufficient vitamin C may slow down foetal growth. It can reduce collagen production and nutrient absorption, increasing the risk of low birth weight.
- Increased bone fragility: Insufficient vitamin C leads to weaker, more fragile bones in the foetus.
- Impaired foetal brain development: Low vitamin C intake during pregnancy can affect the development of the hippocampus. This part of the brain is important for forming memories.
Is a Vitamin C Supplement Necessary During Pregnancy?
While most pregnant women can meet their vitamin C requirements through diet alone, some may require supplements. These supplements are unnecessary and may cause harm if taken in excess. A balanced diet rich in fruits and vegetables provides sufficient Vitamin C to support both maternal health and foetal development.In short, vitamin C supplements during pregnancy are not required. A natural diet is the safest and most effective option.
Side Effects of Excessive Vitamin C Intake During Pregnancy
Consuming vitamin C in doses exceeding 2 grams per day may lead to complications such as:- Gout
- Kidney stones
- Abdominal pain
- Nausea
- Fatigue
- Insomnia
- Rashes
- Diarrhea
- Gut blockage
- Esophageal inflammation
- Parkinson’s disease
- Thickening of cardiac blood vessels
- Urinary & digestive tract complications
FAQs
- How much vitamin C do I need while pregnant?
While pregnant, you need about 85 mg Of vitamin C per day. - What are the best natural sources of vitamin C?
Oranges, strawberries, kiwis, capsicum, broccoli, and cabbage are all rich in vitamin C. - Does excessive intake of vitamin C harm my baby?
Yes. High doses above 2,000 mg per day can cause nausea, kidney stones, and even serious complications. - What happens if I don’t get enough vitamin C during pregnancy?
Low vitamin C levels can increase the risk of anaemia, preeclampsia, low birth weight, and poor foetal brain development.
