The Cs, Bs, and Ds of Prenatal Vitamins
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For many women, becoming pregnant ushers in a period of health-consciousness unlike any they’ve ever experienced. Knowing we’re nurturing new life inside of us inspires us to nurture ourselves in new ways, particularly when it comes to diet and nutrition.
Even if you’ve never taken vitamin supplements before, your obstetrician, nurse practitioner, or midwife will almost certainly recommend you start taking them now. Most suggest that you begin your vitamin regimen at least a month before you try to conceive, and continue to take them throughout your pregnancy and as long as you are breast-feeding.
The best prenatal vitamins contain the four nutrients that scientific research has determined support a healthy pregnancy: folic acid, which is a B vitamin, calcium, iron, and vitamin D.
Folic acid is critical to the development of your baby’s brain, spinal cord, and spine. It has been proven to prevent neural tube defects, including the life-threatening conditions anencephaly and spina bifida. The synthetic folic acid found in vitamin supplements is different from folate, which occurs naturally in foods. The former is more bioavailable—it’s absorbed by your body—more efficiently than the latter. So even if you eat a lot of folate-rich foods, a folic acid supplement is essential.
Calcium helps your baby develop strong bones and teeth, as well as a healthy heart and nervous system. Consuming extra calcium can also help prevent maternal diseases like hypertension and preeclampsia during pregnancy, which are leading causes of preterm birth. Expectant moms who don’t take calcium are also at risk for losing bone density themselves, which can contribute to orthopedic problems down the road.
Iron is the mineral your body uses to create the extra blood (hemoglobin) your body needs to support a healthy pregnancy. It’s also responsible for moving oxygen throughout your body and your baby’s. Becoming anemic during pregnancy is especially risky because it can lead to preterm birth and low birth weight. It can also increase the fatigue you might already be feeling. Vegetarian and vegan women may be at greater risk for anemia during pregnancy because the iron found in plant-based foods is not as easily absorbed by the body as the iron found in meat or fish.
Vitamin D is produced by the body through exposure to sunlight and absorbed into the body through certain Vitamin D-rich foods. Studies show that Vitamin D deficiency is one of the most common nutritional issues within the general population, particularly in northern climates. If you follow a vegan diet, you might be at greater risk, since dairy foods are a primary source of Vtamin D. Your doctor may order tests to determine whether you’re beginning your pregnancy with enough Vitamin D. Studies show that a 4000 mg dose of Vitamin D is safe during pregnancy and supplementation at 1000 mg or higher is often recommended for moms-to-be.
When selecting a brand of prenatal vitamins, the most important thing to know is whether the product contains the minimum daily allowance of the most important nutrients during pregnancy. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) provides these guidelines:
Folic acid: 400 micrograms daily
Iron: 27 mg daily
Calcium: 1000 mg daily
Vitamin D: 600 international units
Depending on your diet, you may need more or less of these essential nutrients, so it’s important to evaluate vitamin dosage in the context of what you normally eat.
Because the nutritional supplement industry is not regulated by the Food and Drug Administration, it’s best to purchase brands that have been submitted for independent third-party testing. Third-party testing ensures you’re actually getting what your supplement’s label tells you you’re getting. It also certifies that your vitamins are free of contaminants and harmful additives.
There is some controversy surrounding the question of whether synthetic and organic vitamins are equally effective. Vitamins are essentially chemicals, whether produced in a laboratory or derived from whole foods. But proponents of organic vitamins argue that synthetic vitamins don’t contain the phytonutrients found in whole foods and may not be as bioavailable as a result. They also point to the artificial fillers found in synthetic vitamins as cause for concern.
Nutritional experts concur that taking supplements can’t substitute for eating a balanced diet that delivers the nutrients essential fetal development. Be sure you are taking in enough calories. Incorporate foods rich in folic acid, calcium, and Vitamin D. And watch those cravings. Ice cream and pizza don’t pack the nutritional punch that fresh fruits and vegetables do!
~Jaroldi Gonzalez
