Good nutrition in pregnancy is vital for the healthy growth and development of the baby and for the nourishment of the mother because pregnancy can take a toll on your body. You need to consume enough nutrients to meet the needs of you and your baby.
During pregnancy your body requires more of some nutrients and vitamins that cannot easily be attained through diet alone. It is therefore necessary for certain supplements to be taken before and during pregnancy. These include folate, iodine, iron and some vitamins such as Vitamin D, Vitamin C and calcium.
It is especially important to take supplements if you follow a vegetarian or vegan diet as you may not get enough nutrients from your daily diet. Consult with your doctor.
In this article we will discuss the various vitamins and supplements that are needed during pregnancy and why they are so important.
Iron
The average pregnant woman needs about 30 mg of elemental iron per day to meet the new demands of extra blood volume due to the developing placenta, and growing fetus. Iron deficiency during pregnancy is common and might lead to a complication known as iron deficiency anemia. This condition has been linked to a risk of premature birth, low birth weight and postpartum depression.
You can meet dietary iron needs by eating foods rich is iron such as red meat, fish, poultry, legumes, and green leafy vegetables. However, iron rich food may not provide enough iron needed and it is therefore important to take iron supplementation.
Folate/ folic acid
Folic acid is the man-made form of folate, a B vitamin. Folate is found naturally in certain fruits, vegetables, and nuts. Folic acid is found in fortified foods such as cereal, flour and bread, and can be bought in the form of dietary supplements. Folic acid and folate help the body to make healthy new red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen to all the parts of your body.
However, the most important role of folic acid during pregnancy is in the development of the baby’s nervous system. Folic acid deficiency has been associated with abnormalities in the development of neural tube leading to conditions such as spina bifida, anencephaly, meningocele and tethered spinal cord syndrome. These have a devastating impact on the fetus and may cause permanent disability and may also result in death.
It is recommended that women should take about 400 micrograms of folic acid before conception and for at least 12 weeks into the pregnancy (but ideally every day throughout pregnancy). Research has shown that taking a daily folic acid supplement of 400 micrograms reduces the risk of your baby developing neural tube defects by up to 70%.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to keep bones, teeth and muscles healthy. You need 10 micrograms of vitamin D each day and should consider taking a supplement to meet your body's needs. Sources of vitamin D include oily fish (salmon, mackerel, herring and sardines), eggs, and red meat.
Vitamin D is added to some breakfast cereals, fat spreads and non-dairy alternatives. The sun is another good source of vitamin D, so a few hours in the sun are also good, but you must exercise caution and apply some sunscreen before staying out in the sunlight.
Calcium
Calcium helps strengthen the baby's rapidly-developing bones and teeth, and it also boosts muscle, heart and nerve development. Calcium is important for the mother because it plays an important role in blood clotting, helping muscles to contract, and regulating normal heart rhythms and nerve functions.
The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) recommends that pregnant and breastfeeding women (aged 19 and over) consume 1,000mg of calcium each day.
Sources of calcium
Dairy is a great source of calcium but make sure that the dairy products are pasteurized.
These are great sources of calcium:
Milk
Cheese
Yogurt
Other foods rich in calcium include:
Kale
Broccoli
Soybeans
Baked beans
Almonds
Salmon
Iodine
Iodine is a mineral that your body needs in order to make thyroid hormones, which help your body to use and store the energy that it gets from food. You need iodine during pregnancy to help your baby’s nervous system develop. The nervous system (brain, spinal cord and nerves) helps your baby move, think and feel. During pregnancy, you need 220 micrograms of iodine every day.
Take home message
Pregnancy is very demanding and tough on a woman’s body. The body needs more vitamins and nutrients to meet the increased demand. Be sure to take enough supplements to nourish both your body and the developing baby’s.
This article is written by Dr Itumeleng Buti MBChB (Pret)
References
Greenberg JA, Bell SJ, Guan Y, Yu YH. Folic acid supplementation and pregnancy: more than just neural tube defect prevention. Reviews in Obstetrics and Gynecology. 2011;4(2):52.
Nemours Children’s Health. Folic Acid and Pregnancy. [ Internet] KidsHealth Staff; [Updated 2018 October; Cited 2022 February 4] Available from: https://kidshealth.org/en/parents/preg-folic-acid.html.
March of Dimes. Vitamins and other Nutrients in Pregnancy. [Internet] March of Dimes staff. [ Updated: 2020 September; Cited 2022 February 4] Available from: https://www.marchofdimes.org/pregnancy/vitamins-and-other-nutrients-during-pregnancy.aspx
VerywellFamily. Calcium Needs During Pregnancy. [Internet].Donna Murray; [updated 2021 October 19; Cited 2022 February 4] Available from: https://www.verywellfamily.com/calcium-needs-during-pregnancy-4580491
Pregnancybirth&baby. Vitamins and Supplements During Pregnancy.[ Internet] [Updated 2021 October; cited 2022 February 4] Available from: https://www.pregnancybirthbaby.org.au/vitamins-and-supplements-during-pregnancy
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