Dare to Compare: How does your Prenatal vitamin match up.

by Editor, May 15, 2008

According to the Society of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists of Canada, the U.S. National Academy of Science, and the vast majority of health care providers, supplementing with a prenatal multivitamin is essential. It is estimated that 75% of pregnant women eating sensibly would still be deficient in at least one vitamin or mineral if they did not take supplements. Studies have demonstrated that proper nutrition during pregnancy has a favourable impact on the length of pregnancy, the ease of delivery, the babys birth weight, and the continued health of both mother and child.

Scientific evidence is overwhelming: Our bodies need adequate amounts of vitamins and minerals for it to function properly, including developing a healthy baby. Therefore, the best strategy is to eat a variety of healthy foods and take a prenatal multi-vitamin.

When looking for a complete prenatal multi vitamin:

Folic acid: One of the most important B vitamins for pregnancy. Folic acid (Folate) is required for the formation of new cells and hence is essential to support a womans increased blood volume during pregnancy. It also plays a role in the development of the babys brain and spinal cord. Clear evidence shows that folic acid reduces the babys risk of developing neural tube defects like spina bifida and anencephaly. The recommended daily dosage of folic acid is atleast .6mg (600mcg) Folic Acid is found naturally in such foods as leafy green vegetables, red kidney beans and corn; however, it is difficult to obtain the entire amount of food. For example, you would have to consume 2 cups of spinach per day to get the daily requirement. Taking a prenatal multi vitamin provides the insurance that you are getting atleast the daily requirement.

Iron: Iron deficiency is the most common mineral deficiency in North America, affecting approximately 20% of women in their childbearing years. Iron is the main component of hemoglobin, which supplies oxygen to tissues throughout the body and is thus vital to both the mother and babys health. The mother must produce additional blood volume, particularly in the latter stages of pregnancy, to support the placenta and growing baby. In doing so, she loses an average of 2mg of iron daily and approximately 500mg over the course of the pregnancy.
If the mothers iron intake is insufficient she will experience fatigue, decreased stamina, and reduced resistance to infection, and there is a greater chance that the baby will be premature and have a low birth weight. The average daily intake of iron for women in North America is around 15 mg, it is crucial that pregnant women absorb at least 15mg per day.

Calcium: Calcium is another important nutrient for pregnant women. Because your growing baby's calcium demands are high, you should increase your calcium consumption to prevent a loss of calcium from your own bones. It is also important for building bones, nerves, and muscles. Pregnant and nursing women are recommended to take 1200mg of Calcium per day; however, it may be hard to reach this with food alone as the average North American intakes 200mg of non dairy calcium per day, and 300mg of calcium in dairy products. Therefore, supplementing with calcium is vital. Many multi vitamins will either provide your body with calcium OR iron as calcium inhibits iron absorption; therefore, it is recommended to take a separate calcium supplement away from your prenatal vitamin.

Vitamin D: Pregnant and lactating women are encouraged to increase their Vitamin D intake in order to maintain their own bone density and to optimize the musculoskeletal development of the fetus. One study found that nine-year old children whose mothers took vitamin D supplements while pregnant had significantly larger bones and higher bone mineral concentrations than other children. Children born to women who are Vitamin D deficient are at risk of developing bone softening diseases like rickets in childhood and may be more prone to osteoporosis later in life. Vitamin D deficiency is also known to compromise the immune system and has been linked to conditions like diabetes, thyroid problems, asthma and certain forms of cancer. The recommended dosage is of 400iu upwards to 800iu for pregnant women.

DHA: DHA, an omega-3 fatty acid, is particularly important in the development of the brain, the central nervous system, and the retina. The human body cannot manufacture DHA so it must be obtained through diet, or in the case of a developing baby, from the mother via the placenta and breast milk. The North American diet is typically low in foods containing DHA like fatty fish and animal organ meats. Add to this the fact that pregnant women are advised to restrict their intake of these foods, and its not surprising that most only receive 20-25% of the required level of DHA.
Because DHA is the primary building block of human brain tissue, adequate intake is crucial during fetal brain development and for the first year of life when the infants brain grows rapidly, tripling in size. There is a mounting body of evidence that a mother can improve her childs mental and physical development by increasing her DHA levels while she is pregnant and nursing. Ongoing research in this area is uncovering links between DHA, human intelligence, and various medical disorders. There is also evidence linking low DHA blood levels to mood disorders, and it has been theorized that DHA deficiency triggers post
partum depression.

There are many prenatal multi vitamins on the market, make sure to keep the above requirements in mind. Platinum Naturals Easy Prenatal Multi is a superior quality product which has been carefully formulated to include a range of vitamins, minerals, and DHA required to meet the needs of a womans body during pregnancy. It is also in a softgel form which is easier to swallow as well as digest.

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