The Importance of Prenatal Vitamins

Every pregnant woman under the care of a competent Obstetrician and Gynecologist knows how important taking a prenatal vitamin is from the very beginning of pregnancy. Prenatal vitamins supply a good portion of needed vitamins and minerals that a pregnant woman may not get enough of in her daily diet. While not all prenatal vitamins are the same it is important to find one that contains vitamins A, B-12, C, D and E, zinc, riboflavin, pyridoxine, thiamine, niacinamide, folic acid, iron and calcium. All of these are important in the growth of a healthy baby but none are as important as folic acid, iron and calcium. Pregnant women need high levels of each of these.

Folic acid is a vital nutrient which will help cut the risk of certain birth defects such as "neural tube." There are many different neural tube defects one of which being spina bifida (a spinal defect in which a baby is born with an open spine and results in paralysis and in many cases severe mental deficiency). Good sources of folic acid include: green leafy vegetables, beans, citrus fruits and nuts. The recommended amount of folic acid is at least 1 mg a day.

Iron is needed to aid in building red blood cells. This is especially important because a woman's body doubles her blood supply during pregnancy. Also, a baby is creating his or her own blood supply and this would require lots of iron. Iron also enables a mother to carry oxygen to her unborn baby. Iron is an easy nutrient to come by and can be found in many fruits and vegetables as well as grains. But the best sources of iron are meats, poultry, fish and eggs as all are rich in the nutrient. It's best for a pregnant woman to consume at least 27 mg of iron a day.

Calcium is needed in the creation of bones in the new baby as well as helpful in keeping the mother's bones strong throughout the pregnancy. The best sources of calcium are milk, cheese, yogurt and other dairy products. It is recommended that a pregnant woman have 250 mg of calcium a day.

Unfortunately, some pregnant women can't handle all of the nutrients in one prenatal vitamin and may become physically ill. In a case such as this a woman should consult her doctor. Many doctors will suggest children's vitamins such as Bayer's Flintstones with Iron which contains all of the nutrients of a prenatal vitamin but about half the dosage. A woman should take two of these daily. Other alternatives to the prenatal vitamins are regular multivitamins, prenatal snack bars and smaller doses of other prenatal vitamins. A woman should absolutely consult her doctor before switching or going off of her prenatal vitamin.