For optimal health, your body needs a range of nutrients, including vitamins, minerals, protein, carbs, fats, and fiber.
These vitamins are organic substances that your body can’t produce on its own yet are required in very small amounts to function maximally.
This article talks about vitamins which believed to be safe to take during pregnancy and some Pregnancy vitamins to avoid.
What are the Essential vitamins in pregnancy
Getting the right nutrients is essential for your baby’s healthy growth and development.
You must take enough nutrients to suit both your demands and those of your infant.
You require more protein, folate, iodine, iron, and certain vitamins which will support your pregnancy.
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Some of the vitamins you need during pregnancy include:
1. Folic acid
It is advisable to begin taking folic acid as soon as you begin trying to conceive or as soon as you learn you are pregnant.
Because it can help prevent “neural tube problems,” such as spina bifida, folic acid is crucial for your pregnancy.
Several foods, including granary bread, beans, and pulses, as well as broccoli, spinach, and other green leafy vegetables, contain folic acid (folate) in its natural form. Even if it’s beneficial to have these items in your diet, you still need to take folic acid pills.
2. Vitamin D
We require vitamin D to maintain the health of our bones and muscles.
Most people produce enough vitamin D from sunlight on their skin between late March and early April and the end of September.
We should, however, think about taking a vitamin D pill every day from early October to early March since we cannot produce it from sunlight.
Both children and adults only need 10 micrograms of vitamin D every day.
Some individuals ought to take vitamin D supplements year-round,
Oily fish, including salmon, mackerel, herring, sardines, eggs, red meat, and fortified meals, including several breakfast bowls of cereal and spreads, all contain vitamin D.
It would be challenging to obtain all of the vitamin D you require from food alone, though.
3. Iodine
Iodine is essential for the growth of the brain and neurological system
4. Iron
Iron protects against anemia in the mother and low birth weight in the fetus.
5. Omega 3
Recent studies have suggested that probiotics may help manage blood sugar levels during pregnancy and that taking omega-3 supplements throughout pregnancy may help lower the chance of early birth.
Read also: Best Calcium Supplement For Pregnancy
But it’s unclear whether using these supplements has more advantages than disadvantages.
Avoid them unless your doctor prescribes them until there is greater research available, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy.
Vitamins to avoid during pregnancy
Pregnancy Vitamins to Avoid in addition to the list of ones that are good for pregnancy.
It is imperative to fully avoid taking any unsafe vitamin supplements while pregnant because they could lead to additional difficulties. These vitamins include.
1. Vitamin A
As vitamin A is so crucial, you’ll frequently find it in prenatal supplements.
Vitamin A can be detrimental in excess, even though it is crucial for the immune system and the development of prenatal vision.
The liver is where your body stores extra vitamin A because it is fat-soluble.
Damage to the liver may result from this accumulation’s harmful effects on the body.
Even birth defects may result.
It has been demonstrated, for instance, that consuming too much vitamin A during pregnancy can result in congenital birth defects.
You should be able to acquire enough vitamin A through diet and prenatal vitamins, so taking extra supplements in addition to these is not recommended.
2. Vitamin E
This fat-soluble vitamin is essential for the body’s various processes, including immunological response and gene expression.
Even though vitamin E is crucial for health, it is not advised to take supplements.
Additional vitamin E supplementation may increase the likelihood of stomach discomfort and early amniotic sac rupture rather than improving outcomes for moms of newborns.
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