The Importance of Prenatal Vitamins for Pregnant Woman and the Baby

When a woman becomes pregnant, she is actually taking care of not only herself, but the baby growing inside her womb as well. Because of this, anything she takes in will have an effect on her health and the development of her baby. Hence, prenatal vitamins are needed to make sure all the necessary nutrients and minerals are received by both the mom and baby. Even health conscious women who eat balanced diet will need supplements or prenatal vitamins especially once morning sickness starts kicking in. In fact, there are researches that show women taking prenatal vitamins are less prone to miscarriage and other pregnancy risks.

Normally, women and families who have long planned to conceive a baby are prescribed prenatal vitamins long before fertilization and pregnancy itself. However, for those who have not planned the baby, it would be beneficial to start prenatal vitamins as soon as you confirm you are with child.

If you need confirmation that you are pregnant there are lots of tests that you can take. Do not rely on a missed period alone. You can take a home pregnancy test or better yet consult your OB-GYN for advice. As a matter of fact, as soon as you become sexually active, regular check ups with your health practitioner should be part of your annual medical routine.

Usually, a pregnant mom or a woman wanting to get pregnant is prescribed folic acid or folate. Around 400 micrograms (mcg) of folate is essential for the development of the baby, particularly to prevent abnormalities in neural tube development. As soon as you confirm you are pregnant, the dosage of folate is increased to 600 mcg.

A lot of prenatal vitamins have good amounts of folic acid. Aside from folate, prenatal vitamins rich in iron are usually prescribed for a pregnant woman. It is recommended that a pregnant women should have around 27 mg of iron each day. Increased iron intake would sometimes result in constipation. Thus, it is important to drink at least eight glasses of water every day to avoid getting constipated.

Calcium for bone strength is also another mineral that should be found in your prenatal vitamins. The amount of calcium found in multi-vitamins may not be much since you need around 1000 mg each day. That is why there are doctors who also recommend drinking a glass of milk everyday aside from taking calcium supplements.

Unfortunately there are still a lot of women who cannot afford to buy such food supplement. In this case, you have to make sure you get good amounts of vegetables, like broccoli and fruits like oranges rich in folic acid. While these may not have enough folic acid compared to prenatal vitamins, it's the second best alternative.

Because of morning sickness, taking in any food, including prenatal vitamins can sometimes become a challenge. Taking the vitamins before meals would make matters even worse. So, try to observe what time of the day you usually do not throw up and that would be the best time to take your prenatal vitamins.

Source: Prenatal Vitamins: Why Pregnant Women Should Take Them