The Importance of Prenatal Vitamins
By Cherie Brunetti, Contributing Editor
If you are pregnant, talk with your doctor about starting a prenatal vitamin as soon as possible. If you are trying to conceive, you may even want to consider starting a prenatal vitamin now. Prenatal vitamins are formulated to make up for any deficiencies in your diet that may affect the health of you or your baby. It is especially important to get enough iron, calcium, and folic acid during pregnancy.
Taking folic acid can reduce the risk of your baby developing brain and spinal cord defects. One such spinal cord defect is spina bifida. Spina bifida occurs when a baby is born with a spine that is not closed. Exposed nerves become damaged and this results in varying levels of paralysis and mental retardation. It is important to begin taking folic acid as early as possible (or even before you become pregnant) because spinal defects typically occur during the first 28 days of pregnancy. If you are looking for natural sources of folic acid, eat plenty of green leafy vegetables, beans, citrus fruits, and nuts. Many cereals and breads are also fortified with folic acid.
Adequate calcium during pregnancy is important because a pregnant woman can lose calcium from her down bones as the baby grows. If the baby is not getting enough calcium through your diet or through your vitamins, calcium will be taken from your bones, possible resulting in a loss of bone density. Iron is important because it helps you and your baby carry oxygen in the blood.
Not all prenatal vitamins are the same. Talk with your doctor and look for vitamins with at least 800 mcg of folic acid, 300 mg of calcium, 30 mg of iron, as well as vitamin A, vitamin D, vitamin C, zinc, riboflavin, B12, vitamin E, niacinamide, and pyridoxine. You can ask your doctor for recommendations. You will typically get a prescription from your doctor for a specific prenatal vitamin.
You may find that your prenatal vitamin makes you ill or nauseous. This can be really difficult to deal with if you are also dealing with morning sickness. If you believe that your vitamin is making you ill, be sure to tell your doctor. You can try to take your vitamin right before bed or try a different brand or type. Because of morning sickness, some pregnant women find that they cannot even swallow a pill. In this case, it is possible to get prenatal vitamins in liquid or chewable form.
When I was pregnant, I had a difficult time taking any prenatal vitamins. I tried several different types and they all seemed to exacerbate by morning sickness and even give me bad headaches. After talking with my doctor, I began eating a bowl of Multi-grain Cheerios every morning and taking one Flintstones vitamin at dinner. The combination of the two gave me all of the vitamins and minerals that a prenatal vitamin would and I was able to tolerate the Flintstones vitamin with no problem.
