Taking care of both of you. Before, during, and after pregnancy. The right prenatal supplement can help get you and your baby off to a healthy start.
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We spoke with Dr. Cordelia Nwankwo , a board-certified ob-gyn based in Washington, D. Your body is able to absorb more from your diet than from supplements. However, your prenatal will help fill in the gaps. And many have vitamin D and calcium to build strong bones and teeth during the third trimester of pregnancy.
You should start taking prenatal vitamins at least a month and ideally three months before conception and throughout your entire pregnancy from four weeks pregnant to whenever labor and birth starts. If you are trying to conceive and think you might be pregnant, check out our guide to the best pregnancy tests. Nwankwo says. Nwankwo recommends you continue to take your prenatal vitamins for a minimum of about six months, if not throughout. Just start as soon as you can.
Prenatal vitamins are readily available over the counter and a prescription is generally unnecessary. Note: check with your insurance to see if they cover prenatal vitamins. The pills may also be smaller and easier to take. When shopping for prenatal vitamins look for these four primary nutrients that are especially important during pregnancy, per Dr.
Nwankwo and the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists :. The following vitamins are also essential during pregnancy, and you may not get enough of them through diet alone. Having these in your prenatals are helpful too:. Consider it a bonus if you find a prenatal vitamin that also contains omega-3 fatty acids. Vitamins come in multiple forms: pill, soft-gel capsule and gummies.
Just remember that gummy vitamins do not contain iron, so you may want an extra iron supplement for that. Do you think this content is helpful? Let our editors know! Here are some of the most popular choices to consider when deciding on the best prenatal vitamin for you. Not to mention, you can probably find them at your local drugstore.
They provide your full quota of folic acid, iron and vitamin D as well as other essential vitamins. The bonus? You only have to take one soft gel capsule a day. For some, this can actually induce nausea. Finally, while it does provide the recommended intake of Folate, it comes in the form of folic acid. Folic acid is more difficult for your body to break down , which means you will likely not absorb the full amount of the nutrient.
With mcg of folic acid per 2 capsules, this supplement has one of the highest folate contents on the market. The company advertises that this is the coenzyme form of folic acid, which increases its absorbability by the body. The iron used in this supplement does not cause constipation or upset stomach, and the addition of ginger into the formula also helps to reduce nausea. For women who cannot tolerate an iron supplement, or for those who are already taking an iron supplement due to a previous deficiency, these gummies from First Response are a good option.
This supplement does contain a high amount of folic acid, however it is not methylated and therefore some women may not absorb the nutrient very well. Your doctor will be able to tell if you fall into this category via a blood test.
If this is the case, you may need to switch to a different supplement. Many women enjoy taking this product because of the taste and ease of use. Vitamins that come in the form of a swallowable pill often have an unpleasant taste or odour, or for some can be difficult to get down. In particular, women who struggle with nausea may find these to be an easier option than a pill.
During your third trimester, your nutrient needs increase overall. During this stage, it can be difficult to eat large meals because of reduced stomach space, so including a multivitamin with a well-rounded nutrient profile is very important. With 23 vitamins and minerals, a high folate, iron, and vitamin D content, as well as both DHA and EPA omega-3 fatty acids, Centrum provides exactly that.
This supplement contains good amounts of all your fat-soluble vitamins: A, D, E, K. This is important because soon, your body will be focused on the task of producing breast milk. Since these vitamins are stored in your fat, you need to have adequate stores for your body to draw on once the baby is born. Centrum also contains magnesium, which can help reduce the frequent leg cramps that many women experience near the end of pregnancy, as well as help ease constipation.
Finally, the omega-3 content in this supplement is very important. During the last 3 months of pregnancy, your baby accumulates approximately 67 mg of DHA per day to help with brain and eye development. With mg of DHA, Centrum provides a good dose of this vital nutrient without surpassing the Health Canada guidelines. While this supplement does contain a very high dose of folic acid, it is not the methylated form, so if you are unable to absorb un-methylated folic acid, it may not work for you.
Are you thinking about or trying to become pregnant? What other vitamins and minerals do you usually take? Let us know in the comments below! Get the weekly email summary of our independent reviews and resources to help keep you informed, safe and connected, for free.
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