Prenantal Vitamins: 6 Questions to Ask

Many of you must have heard about ‘prenatal vitamins’. These are in general terms consumed by women who are expecting a child. These are even recommended for women who are trying to get pregnant. This is due to the needs of a human body, as during pregnancy the need for vitamins is increased considerably. As it is, we all know that these days we don’t intake food which has enough nutrients. Thus, prenatal vitamins bridge this particular gap. One should always remember that these work as supplements, not replacements.

Difference between regular vitamins and prenatal vitamins

A number of vitamins are available in the market and it is possible that you won’t find an exclusive prenatal vitamin tablet. But the majority of these vitamins are full of calcium, folic acid, iron, omega-3 fatty acids, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, and copper.

Calcium: According to research, on an average, every pregnant needs to consume at least 1000 milligrams of calcium on a daily basis. And prenatal vitamins provide 200 mg to 300 mg calcium to the Body. Thus, helping them with all the required calcium requirements and making their bones strong.
Folic Acid: Folic acids help in overcoming issues with the neural tube. It is recommended for pregnant or someone expecting to be pregnant to consume a minimum of 600 micrograms of folic acid. Thus, prenatal is best for women to reach the required goals.
Iron: These are crucial for the development of red blood cells and for pregnant women it is a must to consume 27 milligrams of iron in a day.

When should you opt for prenatal vitamins?

One should never consider the intake of prenatal just because someone has told you to. You should for sure consult a doctor and start the course only on his/ her recommendations. Most of the times the doctors recommend prenatal intake if the women is about to conceive or is pregnant.

A very known fact is that people with issues of drug abuse, carrying multiples, and pregnant teenagers have a higher chance of low vitamins and thus prenatal become extremely important for them.

Apart from this breastfeeding mothers should continue the intake as these serve as a supplement to mothers undergoing their lactation period. Prenatal vitamins provide the breast milk with the needed nutrients.

Are people with no pregnancy pains allowed to take in prenatal vitamins?

Prenatal vitamins are exclusively intended to help the lactating, expecting, and women trying to get pregnant with their nutrition needs. Whereas, they are not truly recommended for other people as these may cause serious health issues.

Breaking those misconceptions

Many women have reviews for prenatal vitamins and these often include them saying that these have affected their hair and nail growth. Whereas on the contrary, many often say that these have enhanced the hair and nail growth. So the trouble comes in when you need to believe in one of these.

Thus, the research of Mayo Clinic has proved the fact that these are just misconceptions and shouldn’t be believed.

How to start the intake?

First things first, you should always start with an evaluation of your diet. Make sure you opt for a balanced diet. Start the intake by including proteins, whole grains, fruits & veggies, and dairy products.

But one needs to keep in mind the fact that things which you expect to happen from these supplements are fine. You should remember that these are just the supplements and adding nutrients to your food shall enhance the effects and it’s not a bad idea to opt for them when you know that the body requires extra strength the bear the child.