What is a prenatal vitamin?
Prenatal vitamins are nutritional supplements that are essential during the period of pregnancy. It administers all the important vitamins and minerals that you and your child need for development.
One of the most important and common prenatal multivitamins that expecting mothers take is Folic acid. It contains vitamin B, which is essential for growth and development. The adequate amount of folic acid that you require is around 400 mcg each day for a month. It is recommended to take before as well as during pregnancy because it is proven to decrease the risk of brain and spine issues of the baby. The disorder is called NTD or Neural Tube Defects. Mothers who have been affected by this disorder or problems such as sickle cell disease usually require greater amounts of folic acid.
It is always better to get the daily nutrient intake through your everyday diet, but it is never a bad option to take prenatal multivitamins to ensure that the nutrition balance is achieved.
Why are prenatal vitamins essential?
Good Vitamin intake is essential for your health. However, this becomes an absolute requirement during pregnancy. During this period, your body must have an optimum amount of folic acid and iron for several reasons. Folic acid combats the chances of NTD or Neural Tube Defects. If you are unaware of what NTD is, it affects the brain and spinal cord of the fetus and forms different abnormalities. Taking adequate amounts of folic acid three months before pregnancy reduces the chances of this by a significant percentage. Iron, on the other hand, helps in the growth and development of the fetus and placenta. Besides this, an insufficient amount of iron in your body gives rise to anaemia. Anaemia is dangerous because it lowers the number of healthy RBCs or Red Blood cells in your body.
Advantages of taking folic acid before and during pregnancy
Generally, mothers are recommended to take around 400 micrograms of folic acid pills every day before pregnancy and continue it until 12 weeks.
It reduces the chances of Neural Tube defects such as Spina Bifida.
In case, for some reason, you were unable to take folic acid tablets before pregnancy, please make sure to take them as soon as you discover your pregnancy.
Besides tablets, folate (the term used to imply Folic acid in its natural form) is also present in green leafy vegetables, so make sure to consume lots of vegetables during your pregnancy. Besides this, have cereals for breakfast regularly, and fat spreads because they contain folic acid. However, it is pretty challenging to get the required amount of folic acid through diet alone. This is why folic acid tablets are essential.
When do you need to increase the folic acid dose?
In case you are at risk of getting affected by Neural Tube Defects, it is recommended that you take a greater amount of folic acid every day. This includes around 5 milligrams every day till you reach the 12-week term of your pregnancy.
Now you might have doubts about how to identify the risk of getting affected by NTD. The potential factors are mentioned below:
- The biological mother or father of the child has NTD.
- The mother or father’s family history involves a case of Neural Tube Defects (NTD).
- During the mother’s previous pregnancy, she was affected by NTD.
- The mother has diabetes.
- The mother has epilepsy and takes medicines to keep the seizures under control.
- The mother has HIV and takes anti-retroviral medications to counteract it.
If any of the factors mentioned above apply to you, please make sure to consult a General Practitioner. They generally increase the folic acid intake for proper growth and development.
When and how should you take prenatal vitamins?
Nausea is common during pregnancy. It can be effectively reduced by taking prenatal vitamins after your everyday meals or even after light meals. Before going to bed is also an ideal time for taking prenatal vitamins. If you have constipation, which is again common during early pregnancy, make sure to drink more fluids, eat fibre-rich food, and physically work. In case if none of these natural remedies works, your doctor might advise you to take stool softeners.
Only take the prescribed amount of prenatal vitamins. Do not go overboard or take less than required.
What are the side effects of prenatal vitamins?
Prenatal vitamins contain iron, which is essential during pregnancy. However, sometimes it leads to constipation, which can be cured by increasing your fluid intake, remaining physically fit by doing activities, chart out a diet plan with proper fibre constituents, etcetera. Besides this, the iron in prenatal vitamins may cause gut issues such as gas, bloating, dark bowel, and cramps.
