Nutritional requirements before, during, and after pregnancy are usually increased. You needs to take best prenatal vitamins supplements particularly Iron, Folic Acid, Vitamin A (as 100% beta-carotene), and Vitamin C during these periods, preferably in a liquid form.
What to look for in prenatal vitamins
Here a list of recommended prenatal vitamin by the Food and Nutrition Board, National Academy of Sciences, Institute of Medicine (1998)for pregnant women.
Calcium - 1300mg (under age 19), 1,000mg (over 19)
Phosphorus - 1250mg (under age 19); 700mg (over 19)
Iron - 30mg
Zinc - 15mg
Iodine - 175ug
Magnesium - 400mg (under age 19); 360mg (over 19)
Vitamin A - 800RE
Vitamin D - 5ug
Vitamin E - 10mg
Vitamin C - 70mg
Folic Acid - 600ug
Thiamine - 1.4mg
Riboflavin - 1.4mg
Niacin - 18mg
Vitamin B6 - 1.9mg
Vitamin B12 - 2.6ug
Folic Acid is critical during early pregnancy. Folic acid reduced the risk of birth defects like spinal bifida, and other birth defects like congenital heart .Thee neural tube defects risk reduced by as much as 80%.Neural Tube Defects are relatively common birth defects. They occur when the neural tube of a fetus does not grow properly early in pregnancy and the baby is born with a serious birth defect. Spina bifida is the most common neural tube defect. Therefore, you need to take an abundant quantity of folic acid even before getting pregnant and certainly start very early on in pregnancy.
Iron is important component of liquid prenatal supplements. Iron is the main component of hemoglobin, the part of the blood that carries oxygen, hence important in the transportation of oxygen around your body during pregnancy and that of your unborn child. It is necessary for a healthy and uneventful pregnancy.
The average prenatal vitamin only contains around two hundred and fifty milligrams of calcium. A pregnant woman may require anywhere from twelve hundred to fifteen hundred milligrams of calcium for herself and her little one to grow. She can't solely rely on prenatal vitamins to supply enough calcium. She may need to take an extra calcium supplement.
A liquid prenatal vitamin is not a food replacement. In fact, prenatal vitamins work better when you are eating a healthy diet that includes a variety of foods.
When you should stop taking prenatal vitamins?
If you are planning for breastfeeding, you should continue taking your prenatal vitamins until your baby weaned.
Side effects of prenatal vitamins
Nausea, stomach pain and even vomiting are common side effect of prenatal vitamins. However, liquid prenatal vitamins has less experienced of side effect.
For those who can't abide even the thought of a pill, liquid prenatal vitamins might be a good option, though they can be expensive and are again subject to various opinions regarding their taste. If you have a hard time taking pills, then ask your doctor what liquid prenatal vitamins she or he knows about, or alternatively, get a liquid vitamin and ask your doctor to examine it to make sure that it has everything you need in a prenatal vitamin. Overall, you should know that liquid prenatal vitamins or prenatal vitamins in pill form are essential for ensuring the overall health of the newborn child.
As a precaution, consult with your physician before taking any liquid prenatal vitamin and never exceed the recommended amount in the instructions on the container.