During pregnancy, your baby needs calcium to grow strong bones and teeth as well as a healthy heart, nervous system, and muscles.
You too can lessen your risk of hypertension and preeclampsia by consuming enough calcium.
In this article, we will be looking at how much calcium you need as a pregnant woman, how to get them, and the best calcium supplement for pregnancy.
How much calcium is required for pregnant women?
No matter if a woman is pregnant, breastfeeding, or not, she needs the same amount of calcium.
You must obtain calcium from diet or supplements because your body cannot produce it.
Age does affect how much calcium women need, though:
Ages 19 to 50 for women should have a daily intake of 1000 mg
While Women under the age of 18 should have a daily intake of 1300 mg per day
It’s crucial to establish the habit of eating lots of calcium in your diet even before becoming pregnant because the majority of women do not consume nearly enough of this crucial mineral.
Continuous monitoring of your calcium intake even after your kid is born, helps reduce the risk of osteoporosis (bone thinning) and bone loss (osteoporosis) at old age.
Calcium-rich foods to eat when pregnant
The best sources of calcium are milk and other dairy products, canned fish, calcium-fortified cereal, juice, soy and rice beverages, and bread.
Check labels as not all brands are fortified; the fortified products have the following calcium content.
- 8 ounces of plain yogurt has 415 mg.
- 8 ounces of orange juice with added calcium: 349 mg
- 333 mg in 1.5 ounces of part-skim mozzarella cheese
- Sardines in oil, 3 ounces, with bone: 325 mg
- Nonfat milk, 8 ounces: 299 mg
- 8 ounces of fortified soy milk with calcium: 299 mg
- Whole milk, 8 ounces, 276 mg
- Low-fat fruit yogurt, 6 ounces: 258 mg
- Tofu with calcium sulfate in 4 ounces is 253 mg.
- 3 ounces of pink salmon in a can with bones and liquid contains 181 mg.
- 1 percent fat cottage cheese, 8 ounces: 138 mg
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Importance/role of calcium during pregnancy:
The body needs calcium, which is an important nutrient.
You require more calcium during pregnancy for both your health and the health and development of the unborn child.
For Your Child
Calcium is required for the formation of bones and teeth in your growing child.
This is because they create a full skeleton. The heart, muscles, nerves, and hormones of your child depend on the vitamin calcium
For you
Because you provide all the calcium your unborn child needs while you are pregnant, eating the recommended daily calcium intake benefits both you and your unborn child.
You can experience difficulties if you don’t receive enough.
Your body will still provide calcium to your unborn child whether or not you consume enough calcium yourself.
Therefore, if you are not replacing what you are giving away, you risk developing osteoporosis later in life and developing weaker bones.
Best Calcium Supplement For Pregnancy
1. Prenatal vitamins
Although prenatal vitamins typically provide a little amount of calcium, it is not enough to meet your daily needs.
You’ll still need to consume calcium through food.
Check the label and consult your doctor if you have questions about the vitamins and minerals contained in different brands.
2. Calcium carbonate
Some antacids, like Tums, have calcium carbonate as their active ingredient.
If you use Tums to treat heartburn, tell your doctor about it, and take the medication as prescribed by your doctor.
You can be consuming excessive amounts of calcium depending on how frequently you take Tums each day and your diet as a whole.
Calcium Citrate
If you are having difficulties getting enough calcium or you are at risk for high blood pressure during pregnancy, your doctor may advise taking a calcium citrate supplement.
Complication
Both inadequate and excessive calcium can lead to complications. Fortunately, they can be readily avoided.
Not Enough Calcium
If you don’t exactly consume the appropriate quantity of calcium each day, you generally won’t encounter any serious pregnancy issues like high blood pressure, heart health problems, low birth weight, poor appetite, muscle cramps, premature birth, or numbness of the fingers.
Excessive Calcium
It is uncommon to consume too much calcium through food. If you utilize supplements, you are most likely to consume too much calcium.
Complications that may arise from consuming too much calcium include irregular heartbeat, constipation, kidney stone, and inability to digest other vitamins and minerals.
In conclusion
The easiest method to receive the necessary daily amount of calcium is through a healthy, balanced diet, but if you feel you aren’t receiving it, talk to your doctor about maybe adding a separate calcium supplement.
Prenatal vitamins have varied levels of calcium, with some offering 100 to 200 mg, so keep this in mind before taking supplements.
Less than 500 mg of calcium at a time is the optimal amount for your body to absorb. Therefore, you might need to take your calcium supplement in little doses multiple times throughout the day.
Make sure to acquire enough vitamin D in your diet while you are pregnant since you need it to absorb calcium.