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Vitamins and Minerals Needed During Pregnancy

Vitamins and other nutrients during pregnancy are important to be fulfilled. This is because the fetus needs adequate nutrition, in order to grow and develop into a healthy baby. To fulfill this, vitamin supplements for pregnant women can be a complement in your diet. Health experts and doctors agree, eating healthy and varied foods is the best way to get the vitamins and minerals your fetus needs during pregnancy. Even so, your body may still lack the main nutrients needed for the fetus to grow optimally. That is why some supplements and vitamins for pregnant women are needed to fill in the blanks. Supplements for pregnant women contain lots of vitamins and minerals, but some of the most important ingredients that are most needed by pregnant women from pregnancy supplements are folic acid, vitamin D, calcium, and iron.

    Folic acid

    Adequate folic acid is needed to prevent neural tube defects (NTD), which are defects in the baby's nervous system. NTD usually begins to develop in the first 28 days after fertilization. At that time, most women did not even realize that they were pregnant. That's why for women who are trying to have children or undergo a pregnancy program, it is advisable to consume 400 -800 micrograms of folic acid every day until the pregnancy reaches the age of 3 months. You can get natural folic acid from the foods you consume, such as green vegetables, cereals or whole grains, nuts, and oranges. But folic acid in the form of supplements or tablets is more easily absorbed by the body. For this reason, although balanced nutritional patterns are fulfilled, folic acid supplements are still given to pregnant women to meet the needs of this important nutrient.

    Vitamin D and Calcium

    Pregnant women or those who are breastfeeding, are advised to consume 10 micrograms of vitamin D and 1,000 mg of calcium every day. Vitamin D and calcium play an important role in healthy bones and teeth. Pregnant women need more vitamin D and calcium during pregnancy to support the growth of baby's bones. Vitamin D deficiency makes children vulnerable to abnormal bone growth. Calcium is also very needed by pregnant women. Calcium consumed by pregnant women will be used by the fetus to form bones. Calcium can be found in foods such as tofu, tempeh, kidney beans, soy milk, milk, cheese, yogurt, green leafy vegetables, sardines, salmon, and beans. You can also get vitamin D naturally from fish such as salmon and sardines, eggs, and meat. Basking in the sun is also the best source of vitamin D for your body.

    Iron

    Pregnant women need enough iron to form red blood cells, because it is the red blood cells that carry oxygen to all parts of the body and also to your baby. Iron deficiency will cause anemia which can make pregnant women constantly feel tired, dizzy, weak, and pale. In addition, iron as a nutrient intake of pregnant women is also very important for fetal growth. Lack of iron during pregnancy makes the risk of babies suffering from anemia after birth is higher. This condition also increases the risk of babies being born prematurely and being born with a low weight.
Supplements to increase iron can cause side effects such as constipation, diarrhea, and interfere with the absorption of other nutrients the body needs. Try to get iron from natural sources first, such as lean meat, dark green leafy vegetables, dried fruit, and nuts. But if it's still not enough, your doctor can recommend taking iron supplements.

Best Pregnancy Supplements

In general, the supplements you need during pregnancy are recommended to contain the following vitamins and minerals.
  • 400 units of vitamin D.
  • 250 milligrams of calcium
  • 400-800 micrograms of folic acid.
  • 30 milligrams of iron.
  • 2 milligrams of copper.
  • 2 milligrams of vitamin B6.
  • 15 milligrams of zinc.
  • 50 milligrams of vitamin C.
Even so, always remember to ask your obstetrician about each supplement you take. Through proper examination, your doctor will find out what vitamins and minerals are most needed by your body and your fetus. Remember that vitamin supplements for pregnant women are a complement and not a substitute for your food. In addition, do not take vitamins in doses that are too high or exceed the recommendations, because it can actually have a negative impact on you and your baby.

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