If you're pregnant or TTC , you're obviously eating all the kale, salmon, and whole grains you can LOL, right. Many moms-to-be eat whatever they can for the first few months what up, saltine crackers, and Swedish fish?
Prenatal vitamins are there to fill in any nutritional gaps and make sure there is an abundance of all the vital nutrients your baby needs to grow—especially magnesium, zinc, calcium, vitamins B and C, and folate, says G. Aside from aiding in your baby's growth, studies have shown that particular supplements can lower the risk of certain conditions for both you and your baby.
These benefits are optimized when prenatal vitamins are started prior to conception," says Dr. Supplemental folate or folic acid , in particular, is very important. It's been shown to reduce neural tube defects in babies, which are conditions involving the baby's brain and spine. Folic acid can also reduce the risk of autism spectrum disorders, research shows. When prenatal vitamins are taken before conception or during early pregnancy, the risk of having a child with autism decreases even in genetically susceptible mothers and children, a study in the Journal of Epidemiology found.
Most of these vitamins are water soluble, meaning you'll just pee out any excess, Dr. Ruiz says. So, you don't need to worry about going overboard on them. There is one exception to this rule, however: iron, which can be toxic in large doses.
Pregnant women need 30 to 60 milligrams of iron each day, according to the guidelines from the World Health Organization WHO. Most prenatal vitamins come fortified with extra iron, so as long as you're sticking to what's in your daily prenatal and not supplementing with even more iron , you'll be fine, Dr.
Caveat: If you're anemic, you might need more, so Dr. Ruiz recommends discussing your individual needs with your doctor. Ideally you should start taking them as soon as you start trying to conceive, Dr.
FYI: It's a myth that they will increase your fertility , though. Your baby will need those extra nutrients from the moment of conception, Dr. Ruiz explains. Continue to take the vitamins throughout your pregnancy and afterward, for as long as you're breastfeeding, he advises. Sifting through drugstore shelves or Amazon suggestions is super intimidating.
And don't worry, it's not just you—all of those options don't just start to sound alike, they really are very similar, says Wendy Goodall McDonald , MD, a Chicago-based ob-gyn. These are roughly the recommended daily amounts of essential nutrients you should be getting when you're pregnant, and what a basic prenatal should have:.
Vitamin D is important for bone health and a healthy pregnancy, and not getting enough has been linked to conditions like preeclampsia and preterm delivery. A woman whose levels are known to be deficient will require more than this daily amount to replenish it.
Jessica Timmons has been a freelance writer since She writes, edits, and consults for a great group of steady accounts and the occasional one-off project, all while juggling the busy lives of her four kids with her ever-accommodating husband.
She loves weightlifting, really great lattes, and family time. If you're wondering when to start taking prenatal vitamins, it's probably time. We'll tell you why earlier is better. Pregnant women taking prenatal vitamins may not need them, according to a review of published research about the effectiveness. Prenatal nutrition can be confusing. This article explains which supplements are believed to be safe during pregnancy and which ones you should avoid. Vitamin supplements are absorbed differently depending on their type.
This article reviews the best time to take vitamins to promote optimal…. Vitamin D has numerous health benefits, but it's tricky to know which supplement to choose. Here are 13 of the best vitamin D supplements, according…. This is a detailed review of vitamin D toxicity and how much vitamin D is considered too much.
Toxicity is rare, but can occur with extremely high…. When taken in safe doses, magnesium can effectively prevent migraines for many people. Learn more about if it's right for you. Folic acid supplements are generally safe — unless you take too much. Here are 4 folic acid side effects you should know about. Let our editors know! Here are some of the most popular choices to consider when deciding on the best prenatal vitamin for you.
Not to mention, you can probably find them at your local drugstore. They provide your full quota of folic acid, iron and vitamin D as well as other essential vitamins. The bonus? You only have to take one soft gel capsule a day. These Nature Made vitamins are skimpy on calcium, with only mg. Okay, real talk: keeping anything down can be a major challenge for some parents-to-be. But some swear that vitamin gummies do the trick.
Smarty Pants gummy vitamins come in lemon, orange and strawberry-banana flavors and have zero artificial colors, sweeteners, preservatives or high fructose corn syrup. Ask your doctor if an additional supplement is necessary to get the iron and calcium needed during pregnancy. Though it does contain I. This brand has an independent seal of approval by NSF International, a third party that verifies supplements meet high quality and safety standards.
You get the perfect amount of vitamin D and more than enough folic acid by taking the recommended two pills a day. With Babylist, you can add any item from any store onto ONE registry. Start your registry today and get a Hello Baby Box full of free amazing!
A spoonful of sugar may help the medicine go down, but the Honest Co. Digestive enzymes derived from pineapple, papaya and kiwi, plus ginger and B6, help the pills better settle in a sensitive stomach too. These prenatals are full of vitamin D, iron and folic acid, as well as spirulina.
They have many organic ingredients, and they can even be taken on an empty stomach. Compare Cost Keep in mind that some bottles will only cover one month or many times months. Look for the following key nutrients on the label: In addition to folic acid, growing research is supporting the importance of many essential vitamins and minerals in pregnancy, especially folic acid, omega-3 DHA, choline, iron, Vitamin D, iodine, and vitamin A. Vegetarian DNA Synthesis, normal red blood cell function, cardiovascular and nervous system health, and strict vegetarians-deficiency risk.
Beef, eggs, chicken, fish, pork, nuts, legumes, cruciferous veg. Should I try to eat foods naturally rich in folate?
Why not just eat food sources rich in folate instead of taking supplement folic acid? If folate, not folic acid or methylfolate, is listed on your supplement bottle, then it is advised to switch to a supplement that lists folic acid or methylfolate instead of folate.
Folate in foods is easily destroyed when foods are cooked or canned. Fifty percent of food folate is lost in the canning process and up to ninety percent can be destroyed in cooking. Lightly steaming instead of boiling in water is recommended. Grains are the main food group that receives folic acid fortification. The lower carbohydrate meal plans restrict grains, thus lowering folic acid intake. Be advised that many gluten free grains are not enriched with folic acid and other B vitamins and iron.
Ethnic foods found in the US are often not fortified with folic acid. This is especially true for corn masa flour—which is more popular among Hispanics—and is not fortified. In fact, Hispanic women are twenty percent more likely to have a child with a neural tube birth defect than a non-Hispanic white woman. Organic food companies are not required to fortify grain products with folic acid. Some do, but many do not. Check the labels of your favorite organic grain products.
Some medications and regular intake of alcohol can interfere with folate metabolism and other medications can reduce the serum and tissue concentration of folate. On the flip side, some medications can also interfere with supplement absorption. Always disclose and discuss your vitamin, supplement and medication list and your risk for interactions with your prescribing physician and your pharmacist. Calcium supplements should be 4 or more hours away from thyroid medicine, prenatal and iron supplements.
Herbal supplements may interfere with medication and RMA of CT does not recommend herbal supplements during fertility treatment. RMA of CT also does not recommend taking any essential oils or herbal supplements during the 1 st trimester of pregnancy. If a woman has already had a child with a neural tube defect, her risk for having another is very high.
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