Pregnancy comes with numerous risks that women need to consider. While there are some factors that are uncontrollable, it has been found that certain strategies can provide an effective reduction in the risk of experiencing certain complications.
Prenatal vitamins have become very popular, for example. Therefore, it is always useful to know more about prenatal vitamins before you plan to conceive.
Considering the role that these vitamin supplements play in pregnancy, knowing which ones are more critical than others would give women the knowledge to reduce risks of factors like low birth weight, among other possible complications.
Continue reading to know more about prenatal vitamins.
Is It Necessary To Take Prenatal Vitamins?
In order to determine the necessity of prenatal vitamins, researchers at the Mount Sinai Hospital and University of Toronto monitored the prevalence of pregnancy complications in a group of women.
One group of women had taken multi micro-nutrient supplements while they were pregnant. The other group did not use such supplement either before or during their pregnancy.
The researchers found that the prevalence of birth defects, with a particular focus on low birth weight, was significantly lower among the women who preferred to use multivitamin supplementation during their pregnancy.
Can’t I Just Eat a Healthy Diet?
A healthy, well-balanced diet plays an important role in our lifestyle in general, and pregnancy is not the exception. Taking prenatal vitamins doesn’t mean you can indulge in unhealthy foods.
It is natural to wonder why to take prenatal vitamins when you can just make healthier food choices only.
Even when you eat a well-balanced diet, there are still some nutrients you might be missing. Quality of food, cooking style, freshness, and other factors play a role in nutritional content.
In most cases, we don’t obtain specific amount of different nutrients we need during the day. During pregnancy, one also need to consume those vitamins and minerals in adequate quantities for the child’s health as well.
Prenatal vitamins fill in those gaps and ensure you get the exact amount of much-needed nutrients throughout your pregnancy.
Always keep in mind that prenatal vitamins are complementary addition to a healthy diet, not a substitution for it.
How to Choose?
Nowadays, a wide range of brands has their prenatal vitamins on the market. But, you may want to look for products containing:
- Folic acid
- Iron
- Copper
- Zinc
- Vitamin A, C, D, and E
- Calcium
Always go for trusted brands that have positive reviews from other pregnant women and mothers.
Moreover, always check composition for any substitute as all multivitamins are not prenatal vitamins, or consult your doctor if any specific brand or prescribed medicine is not available.
When to Start taking Prenatal Vitamins?
If you’re trying to get pregnant, you may want to start taking prenatal vitamins before you conceive. Ideally, women of childbearing age should contain prenatal vitamins regularly.
The reason is simple, baby’s neural tube develops during the first month of pregnancy before most women even know they’re pregnant.
But, if you do not take prenatal vitamins and suspect you are pregnant, take the test, and consult your doctor about these vitamins.
Regardless of your situation right now, it is always recommended to ask the doctor about prenatal vitamins before you start taking them.
A doctor can give you useful information about brands, when to take, what to look for etc.
Conclusion
Taking prenatal vitamins can be beneficial for women who are pregnant, but not all of the nutrients are equally important during this time in a woman’s life.
Studies have, however, confirmed that the use of certain supplements does seem to reduce the risk of certain complications that are common in pregnancy.
