What is the need to take a multivitamin in pregnancy?

The difference between a multivitamin during pregnancy and a regular multivitamin

Vitamin pills prescribed during pregnancy have higher amounts of vitamins and minerals than a regular multivitamin. It is best to start taking a pregnancy multivitamin before becoming pregnant at your doctor’s discretion. During pregnancy, the developing fetus receives all the necessary nutrients from the mother’s body. If a mother is pregnant with multiples, she needs more vitamins to stay healthy than someone who has only one fetus in the womb.
Keep in mind that if your diet and lifestyle are healthy, you may not need to take a multivitamin during pregnancy. Of course, this issue must be determined by the doctor. Especially if the pregnant mother is a vegetarian or has a certain food allergy, the need for multivitamins during pregnancy increases. In cases where a person has a specific nutritional deficiency in their body, such as anemia or calcium deficiency, your doctor may prescribe iron or calcium tablets instead of multivitamins.

Which nutrients are most important in pregnancy?

Providing all the nutrients during pregnancy is important, but some of them seem to be more effective in the growth and development of the fetus in the mother’s body than others:

Folic acid

Folic acid is one of the B vitamins that helps prevent neural tube defects (NTDs) in the fetus and birth defects. Folic acid should be started before pregnancy and continued until the end of pregnancy. Prevention of heart defects and birth defects such as cleft lip and palate are other benefits of taking folic acid during pregnancy.

Iron

This element is needed to oxygenate the baby. Pregnant mothers need twice as much iron as before to prevent anemia. The human body uses iron to make hemoglobin, which transports oxygen from the lungs to other organs.

Calcium

If you do not get enough calcium during pregnancy, your body will get the calcium it needs from your bones, and your risk of developing osteoporosis will increase in the future. A pregnant woman needs 1000 mg of calcium daily. Dairy products are the best natural source of calcium for the body.

Vitamin D

Protecting the immune system, helping nerves and muscles function, and helping the body absorb calcium better are some of the benefits of taking vitamin D. During pregnancy, the mother needs 600 international units of vitamin D daily. Fatty fish such as salmon are one of the best sources of vitamin D.

DHA

Decosahexanoic acid is one of the omega-3 fatty acids that promotes brain development and visual health in the fetus. Herring and salmon are the best sources of omega-3s for the body. This nutrient is not usually present in multivitamins, so it should be taken separately if needed.

ید

The mineral iodine helps the development of the fetal nervous system, which includes the brain, spinal cord and nerves. People also need adequate amounts of iodine to make thyroid hormones. During pregnancy, you need 220 micrograms of iodine daily. Iodized salt, iodine-enriched fish and cereals are the best sources of iodine.

So if you are pregnant, make sure you have the right nutrients in your supplement.

The need to take multivitamins during pregnancy

For the following reasons, it is usually recommended that all pregnant women take a pregnancy multivitamin:

Reduce the risk of preterm birth

Effective supply of all nutrients to the body minimizes the risk of preterm delivery. According to research, one of the vitamins that causes premature birth is vitamin D. Unfortunately, statistics show that more than 60% of pregnant women suffer from vitamin D deficiency. If you are deficient in this vitamin, your doctor may prescribe a vitamin D tablet along with a multivitamin.

Reduce the risk of low birth weight babies

Did you know that one of the most important causes of death for children under 5 is their low birth weight? Studies show that taking multivitamins during pregnancy clearly helps prevent low birth weight babies. Taking multivitamins during pregnancy reduces the birth of low birth weight babies by up to 17%. Even the World Health Organization advises pregnant women to take iron and folic acid supplements during pregnancy so that their baby is at a healthy birth weight.

Prevention of preeclampsia or pregnancy poisoning

The need for multivitamins in pregnancy is also because this product prevents preeclampsia. Preeclampsia is one of the most common problems during pregnancy and is usually accompanied by symptoms such as high blood pressure, inflammation and protein excretion. This complication usually manifests itself in the last months of pregnancy (twentieth week onwards). If preeclampsia is not controlled, the health of the mother and fetus may be endangered. Some studies show that poor nutrition increases the risk of this complication.

Reduce pregnancy complications

A multivitamin is a product that provides the vitamins and minerals your body needs. With the help of a multivitamin, a pregnant mother can make up for the nutritional gaps in her body and become healthier. Studies show that people who take a multivitamin before pregnancy or start taking it at the beginning of their pregnancy are less likely to experience pregnancy complications such as nausea and vomiting and are more general and energetic. Multivitamins usually contain B vitamins such as B6 and are therefore effective in reducing morning sickness.

Reduce the risk of having a baby with a disability

The need to take a multivitamin during pregnancy can also reduce the risk of having a baby with a disability. Of course, in this regard, more than anything else, the supply of folic acid (vitamin B9) is necessary. Women are even advised to take folic acid pills 3 months before pregnancy. Consumption of folic acid before and also in the beginning of pregnancy helps to prevent neural tube defects and protects the health of the brain and spine. Some studies also show that providing nutrients to the pregnant mother is effective in preventing congenital heart defects and cleft lip and palate.

The best time to take a multivitamin during pregnancy

We have explained to you the necessity of taking multivitamins during pregnancy. If you are pregnant, let your doctor determine the best time to take your multivitamin. But it is usually recommended that you take this supplement before bed or with meals. In this case, the side effects of the multivitamin, such as nausea, will be less.

When should you start taking a multivitamin?

The timing of pregnancy multivitamin use is best determined by your doctor and may vary from person to person. Your doctor will determine what vitamins or minerals you need to take based on the nutritional deficiencies in your body. Most doctors prescribe multivitamins before pregnancy and continue to do so for several months after pregnancy. Many women even need to take multivitamins while breastfeeding. Therefore, if you are planning to become pregnant, see your doctor and start taking a multivitamin under his supervision and at the time he determines.

The final word

In this article, we introduced you to the necessity of taking multivitamins during pregnancy. Nutrient deficiency is seen in many people today due to the machine lifestyle and improper nutrition. Paying attention to compensating for this deficiency becomes more important during pregnancy because the fetus is fed directly from the mother’s body. To prevent miscarriage, premature birth, pregnancy poisoning and birth defects in the baby, it is better to take a pregnancy multivitamin prescribed by a doctor.

Frequently Asked Questions about the need for multivitamins in pregnancy

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