By If you are pregnant, you might be overwhelmed and even a bit confused about what supplements and nutrients to take. Which one is best for pregnant women with the many supplements and multivitamins available from brands like douglas laboratories in Supplement First?
Let’s tackle the necessary supplements and multivitamins to help you and your little one stay healthy throughout the pregnancy.
- Prenatal Vitamins
These are multivitamins specially formulated, meeting the micronutrient needs throughout pregnancy. They should be taken before conception, during pregnancy, and even when breastfeeding.
Prenatal vitamins should NOT replace a healthy diet and exercise, though they help prevent nutritional gaps, giving pregnant women extra micronutrients required during pregnancy.
- Folate
Folate B is essential in red blood cell production, DNA synthesis, and fetal growth and development. The synthetic form of folate is folic acid, which converts into L-methyl folate, our body’s active type of folate.
It’s recommended for pregnant women to have at least 600 mcg of folic acid or folate daily, which will reduce the risk of congenital abnormalities and neural tube defects.
- Iron
The demand for iron would significantly increase when pregnant since maternal blood volume will increase by around 45%.
Iron is essential for the baby and placenta’s oxygen transport, along with healthy growth and development. It is also necessary for women with anemia, as anemia during pregnancy can result in maternal depression, infant anemia, or preterm delivery.
- Vitamin D
Vitamin D is fat-soluble and crucial for better cell division, bone health, and immune health. If deficient in vitamin D during pregnancy, it can increase the risk of preterm birth, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, and the need to perform a cesarean section.
It’s recommended to take 15 mcg of vitamin D a day for pregnant women, or even higher, depending on your doctor’s findings.
- Magnesium
This mineral is part of different chemical reactions in our bodies, playing a vital role in our nerve, muscle, and immune function. If deficient in magnesium during pregnancy, it can increase the risks of premature labor and chronic hypertension.
Furthermore, taking magnesium supplements might reduce the risks of pregnancy complications such as preterm birth and fetal growth restriction.
- Fish Oil
Fish oil has DHA and EPA, critical fatty acids for you and your baby’s brain health and development. Supplementing fish oil during pregnancy may improve your baby’s post-pregnancy brain development and decrease the risk of maternal depression. However, more research is required to confirm this.
We can consume DHA and EPA through what we eat, especially from fatty fish. But if we don’t get enough of it, we can also use supplements from brands like douglas labs.
- Probiotics
Probiotics help improve gut health. They are living microorganisms linked to helping with our digestive health and are safe to supplement when pregnant. There aren’t any side effects when supplementing with probiotics, with studies showing that it can reduce risks of infant skin conditions, gestational diabetes, and postpartum depression.
Wrapping It Up
When investing in supplements for pregnancy, do keep these in mind to avoid overspending on the products you don’t need.
