A prenatal supplement is a vitamin and mineral supplement
you can take daily to make sure you're getting the right
amount of certain important nutrients during pregnancy.
Unfortunately, though, since the Food and Drug Administration
doesn't regulate what goes into supplements, there are no
set standards for what should be in them. It is, therefore,
up to you and your doctor to make sure you choose one that's
safe and appropriate for you. A high-quality liquid multivitamin
will provide you will all the vitamins and minerals needed
for you and your baby.
Do
you really need prenatal vitamins? Fifty percent of birth
defects can be prevented by pregnant women taking prenatal
vitamins before pregnancy. The quantity of folic acid
required by the fetus cannot be obtained by diet alone.
By taking vitamins as early as three months prior to becoming
pregnant, you are ensuring the health and well being of
your future baby.
What
should you look for in prenatal vitamins? You should in
general look for one that has more of folic acid and iron
than you can get from your diet. Just as important is
that it should not have more than the recommended amounts
of other nutrients. This is particularly so of vitamin
A. Too much vitamin A made from animal products can cause
birth defects. Ensure you are taking a prenatal vitamin
or a multi-vitamin with under 10,000 IU of vitamin A.
This
is one reason that most prenatal supplements contain vitamin
A at least partly in the form of beta-carotene, a nutrient
that you get from fruits and vegetables that converts
to vitamin A in the body. Unlike vitamin A from animal
products, which has been known to cause birth defects
when taken in high doses just before conception or during
pregnancy, beta-carotene is not toxic in high doses.
Also
too much iron in a prenatal vitamin will be poorly absorbed.
So, check on its amount in the supplement you plan to
buy too. When considering absorption, know that liquid
vitamins absorb 5 times better than do pill vitamins.
Your
doctor may recommend that you start taking a prenatal
supplement at your first prenatal checkup. If so, you
may be given a prescription for a particular prenatal
vitamin or just suggest that you buy a particular over-the-counter
brand at the drugstore. If you do take a prenatal supplement,
make sure you're not taking any other vitamin or mineral
supplement along with it unless your doctor so recommends.
Ask
your doctor to prescribe a daily prenatal multivitamin
that contains the recommended amounts of vitamins and
minerals you need for a healthy pregnancy. Folic acid
is especially important. You need 600 micrograms daily,
because it helps prevent neural-tube defects such as spina
bifida. Consider raking calcium supplements if you can't
make the quota of at least 1,000 milligrams a day. And
steer clear of herbs and other botanicals, as their safety
remains to be proven during pregnancy and lactation.
If
you're taking vitamin supplements to try to prevent birth
defects, you may not be getting what you pay for. Back
in 1997, a researcher at the University of Maryland at
Baltimore found that just three of nine prenatal multivitamins
he tested released enough folic acid to meet recommended
standards, and some greatly missed the mark. To be sure
you get enough folic acid daily, buy supplements with
a USP symbol on the label and take them with food to enhance
absorption unless directed otherwise by your doctor.
The
use of 0.4 mg folic acid from 3 months before conception
has been shown to reduce the risk of neural tube defects
by 73%. No reduction has been shown in women who start
folic acid after 6 weeks' gestation. It is, therefore,
important that you start folic acid supplementation well
before you become pregnant.
If
you're healthy and you eat a very balanced diet and has
no specific risk factors, some will say you need not take
a prenatal supplement but that you need to take 400 micrograms
(mcg) of folic acid a day plus that you get in your diet
is not contended. Indeed, it is recommended that you start
doing so at least a month before you become pregnant and
during your first trimester.
Since
half of all pregnancies are unplanned, the U.S. Public
Health Service recommends that all women of childbearing
age take 400 mcg of folic acid a day because there is
research evidence research that this can reduce the risk
of neural tube defects in your baby by up to 70 percent.
Most
prenatal supplement contain between 600 and 1,000 mcg
of folic acid. You can get your folic acid from a separate
folic acid supplement. If you've previously had a baby
with neural tube defects, you'll need to take 4,000 mcg,
or 4 milligrams, of this vitamin each day starting at
least a month before you become pregnant.
Because
most women don't get enough iron in their diet, prenatal
vitamins can ensure that you do. You need to have enough
iron in your body to meet its increased needs during pregnancy.
It is recommended you take 27 mg of iron per day during
pregnancy, 50 percent more than you need when you're not.
Most prenatal supplements contain between 27 and 60 mg.
Your
body makes a lot more blood when you're pregnant to support
your growing baby, and as a result, the iron stores in
your blood can get quite low. To avoid getting iron-deficiency
anemia during pregnancy, most women need to take a supplement.
For some women, the amount in their prenatal supplement
is enough, but others may need to take even more during
pregnancy. Ask your doctor to tell you just how much you
need. Your prenatal blood work will guide your doctor
in doing so.
Unlike
with folic acid, except you are anemic before getting
pregnant, you should wait until you are pregnant or even
until you're through your first trimester to take extra
iron, since high doses of the mineral can make nausea
and constipation worse. Women with iron-deficiency anemia
are usually advised to take between 60 and 120 mg of supplemental
iron each day in addition to a prenatal supplement.
Women
with certain health issues, dietary restrictions, or pregnancy
complications need to take a prenatal supplement, including
folic acid and iron. This group of women includes vegetarians
and vegans, women who are lactose-intolerant or have certain
other food intolerances, smokers and women who abuse other
substances, women who are having twins or higher multiples,
and women with certain blood disorders and certain chronic
illnesses.
A
good multivitamin is the foundation of health and nutrition.
Take a look at our scientific reviews of many of the popular
brands for factors such as ingredients, areas of improvement,
quality level, and overall value.
http://www.vitamins-
nutrition.org/vitamins/prenatal-
vitamins-primer.html
