During pregnancy, it is important to meet all your nutritional needs as a mother-to-be to ensure that you have a healthy pregnancy and that your baby has everything they need for proper development.
Oftentimes, everything you need does not come from diet alone. This is why every expectant mother needs to take her prenatal vitamins to ensure that she is getting the necessary prenatal care.
Taking the right prenatal vitamin and mineral supplements can help you as an expectant mother to ensure that you are maintaining your own health during pregnancy and minimizing any risks that could arise and pose a risk to your child.
Taking Vegan prenatal vitamins from the start can provide a series of important benefits. To learn of the ten benefits of prenatal vitamins, we’ve got a great list for you below.
Peace of Mind of Knowing Mother and Baby’s Nutritional Needs are Met
When you take care to take your vitamins alongside ensuring a healthy diet of meat, dairy products, vegetables, fruits, legumes, and grains, you will live with much more peace of mind.
That said, you can’t go with one or the other – that is, an excellent diet may not provide all of the extra and necessary nutrients your body needs to carry a child. This is why physicians will immediately advise taking prenatal vitamins alongside a healthy diet to ensure a healthy child and pregnancy.
May Reduce the Risk of Developing Preeclampsia and Gestational Diabetes
Another reason to take your prenatal vitamins is because taking sufficient amounts of folic acid – especially early on in the pregnancy – may, in fact, lower the risk and possibility of developing gestational diabetes and preeclampsia (a dangerous condition that includes high blood pressure, fluid retention, and excess protein in the urine).
For many mothers who have severe cases of preeclampsia, this tends to lead to extremely high blood pressure and potentially an emergency C-section.
Reduces the Risk of Your Child Developing Rickets
Another challenge that may develop if you do not take your prenatal vitamins is rickets – a condition in children that includes weakened and softened bones in children from not having enough vitamin D.
The condition can be quite serious as it can lead to fractures and deformities. In addition, the child could suffer from abnormal bone growth and delayed development.
As a result, it is incredibly important to ensure that you are getting the right amount of vitamin D to ensure the absorption of calcium and phosphorus.
Reduces the Risk of Your Child Developing Spina Bifida and Neural Tube Defects
When taking your prenatal vitamins, you are also ensuring that your baby is getting enough of the B vitamin folic acid. If you do not ensure the right volumes, especially early in your pregnancy and even before you conceive, you might be at risk of developing neural tube defects.
These include spina bifida (cleft spine) and anencephaly (improper development of the brain and bones of the skull).
However, by taking your vitamins, you are ensuring that your body receives the right amount of folic acid, and the risks posed to your baby are reduced by up to 70%.
Helps Protect You From the Effects of Calcium Deficiency
You might be shocked to know that not getting the right amount of calcium can affect you too.
That is, if you do not have the correct amount in your diet, your baby might begin to draw it from your bones. This could later impair your own health in the future.
As a result, prenatal vitamins are key in order to ensure that you are receiving the appropriate levels of calcium each day.
Helps Prevent Iron-Deficiency Anemia
During pregnancy, women need to have a lot of iron. According to experts, pregnant women need twice as much iron as they did prior to conception because the body during pregnancy uses iron to make hemoglobin (blood) for both you and the baby. Having proper iron levels also ensures that the right amount of oxygen moves from your lungs to your baby’s body.
By taking your vitamins, you can help prevent any iron-deficiency anemia, which can produce extreme levels of fatigue.
Decreases the Risk of Pre–Term Delivery, Low Birth Weight, and Infant Mortality
By taking your prenatal vitamins, you are also lowering the risk of delivering your child preterm or having a low birth rate.
Once they are born, by having taken those prenatal vitamins, you are also reducing the risk of infant mortality.
Helps Provide Calcium for Your Child’s Development
Another benefit of taking prenatal vitamins is that it ensures you are taking the proper amount of calcium for your age.
According to experts, women who are 19 years of age and older require 1,000 mg of calcium each day.
Those who are 18 and younger require 1,300 mg. By taking calcium, you are helping your baby develop strong teeth and bones, a healthy heart with normal heart rhythm, and healthy nerves and muscles.
Might Reduce the Risk of Other Birth Defects
In addition to all the benefits listed, by taking your prenatal vitamins, you are giving your body the necessary folic acid that will help you lower the risk of your child being born with a cleft or palate, as well as certain heart birth defects.
Image Source: BigStockPhoto.com (Licensed)
Related Categories: Health, Reviews
