Do I need to take any vitamin supplements during pregnancy? How much folic acid and vitamin D do I need? Do I need to take an iron supplement? Are there any vitamins and minerals I should avoid during pregnancy? Do I need to take any vitamin supplements during pregnancy?Yes, you'll need to take folic acid and vitamin D during pregnancy as they're essential for your baby's development. It's up to you whether you take these as separate supplements or as part of a pregnancy multivitamin. As well as taking folic acid and vitamin D supplements, it's important to eat a well-balanced diet. This will give you all the additional vitamins and minerals that you and your baby need. If you're suffering from sickness and nausea you may find it hard to eat anything at all. In this case, a pregnancy multivitamin, which contains the nutrients you'd usually be getting from a healthy diet, can be a handy stop-gap until your morning sickness eases. If you're a teenager, you may need extra nutrients if your own body's still growing.
Speak to your midwife about what supplements to take. If you need any vitamin and minerals as a supplement for medical reasons, your midwife or GP will prescribe them for you. How much folic acid and vitamin D do I need?Your recommended dose of folic acid is 400 micrograms (mcg) a day during the first 12 weeks of your pregnancy. Taking folic acid lowers the risk of your baby developing a defect in his spinal cord. You also need 10mcg of vitamin D, which you should take every day throughout your pregnancy. Vitamin D helps to regulate the levels of calcium and phosphate in your body, which you need to keep your bones and teeth healthy. It also helps your baby to grow strong teeth and bones. The best natural source of vitamin D is from sunlight. Unfortunately, for most of the year sunlight in the UK is not strong enough for our skin to turn it into vitamin D. This makes it even more important to take it as a supplement. Do I need to take an iron supplement?Iron is particularly important during pregnancy because it helps your blood carry oxygen around your body.
And the amount of blood you have is increasing all the time to support your growing baby. You'll find that nearly all pregnancy multivitamins contain iron. However, you don't need to take a separate iron supplement unless told to by your midwife. Your midwife will carry out routine blood tests during your pregnancy to make sure you're getting enough iron. If she finds that you're low in iron, or you have iron-deficiency anaemia, she may prescribe iron supplements. If your midwife thinks your iron levels are fine, taking an iron supplement is unlikely to benefit your health or your baby's health. Too much iron can cause side effects such as constipation and stomach pain. You should be able to get all the iron you need by eating iron-rich foods such as meats, nuts, pulses, leafy green vegetables and fortified cereals. Are there any vitamins and minerals I should avoid during pregnancy?Yes, you should avoid retinol, the animal form of vitamin A, because it's toxic to unborn babies in large doses.
Don't be tempted to buy a general multivitamin instead of one specifically for pregnant women. Although they may be cheaper, they may contain retinol. Pregnancy multivitamins often don't contain vitamin A at all. But if they do it will be the type that occurs in plants (beta-carotene), which is safe for your baby. Before buying any pregnancy multivitamin, read the label and make sure you understand what it contains. If you're unsure what to buy, or you don't like the multivitamin you're currently taking, ask the pharmacist for advice, or check with your midwife. Never take more than the recommended dose of multivitamin, which is usually one supplement a day. If you’re claiming certain benefits, or if you're on a low income, you may be eligible for free pregnancy vitamins through the government's Healthy Start scheme. Find out what vitamins and minerals help your baby grow, and discover whether there are any benefits of having prebiotics and probiotics in pregnancy.
Antenatal care for uncomplicated pregnancies. Vitamins and nutrition in pregnancy Vitamins and minerals - Iron Track your baby’s development Join now to receive free weekly newsletters tracking your baby’s development and yours throughout your pregnancy. Enter your due date or child's birthday Privacy policy & terms Support for your parenting journey. Delivered to your inbox. My Baby This Week Newsletter Keep up with your baby’s development with personalised weekly newsletters. Get the latest parenting news, plus expert advice and real-world wisdom. Special Offers from Our Partners Receive discounts, deals and parenting information from BabyCentre’s partners. Log in or sign up to post a comment! Pregnancy and Prenatal Vitamins What are prenatal vitamins? Eating a healthy diet is always a wise idea -- especially during pregnancy. It's also a good idea during pregnancy to take a prenatal vitamin to help cover any nutritional gaps in the mother's diet.
Prenatal vitamins contain many vitamins and minerals. Their folic acid, iron, iodine, and calcium are especially important. Folic Acid, Iron, and Calcium Folic acid helps prevent neural tube birth defects, which affect the brain and spinal cord. Neural tube defects develop in the first 28 days after conception, before many women know they are pregnant. Because about half of all pregnancies are unplanned, it's recommended that any woman who could get pregnant take 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily, starting before conception and continuing for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. A woman who has already had a baby with a neural tube defect should talk to her health care provider about whether she might need to take a different dose of folic acid. Studies have shown that taking a larger dose (up to 4,000 micrograms) at least one month before and during the first trimester may be beneficial for those women, but check with your doctor first. Foods containing folic acid include green leafy vegetables, nuts, beans, citrus fruits, and many fortified foods.
Even so, it's a good idea to take a supplement with the right amount of folic acid as a backup. Calcium is also important for a pregnant woman. It can help prevent her from losing her own bone density as the baby uses calcium for its own bone growth. Iodine is critical for a woman’s healthy thyroid function during pregnancy. A deficiency in iodine can cause stunted physical growth, severe mental disability, and deafness. Not enough iodine can lead to miscarriage and stillbirth. Iron helps blood -- in both the mother and baby -- carry oxygen. What to Look for in Prenatal Vitamins Look for a prenatal vitamin that includes: 400 IU of vitamin D. 70 mg of vitamin C. 3 mg of thiamine. 2 mg of riboflavin. 20 mg of niacin. 6 mcg of vitamin B12. 10 mg of vitamin E. 15 mg of zinc. 17 mg of iron. 150 micrograms of iodine In some cases, your doctor will give you a prescription for a certain type of prenatal vitamin.