Healthwatch by Shyft

Join Dash Women's Health Communities for expert advice, curated resources & support.
Join now
Go back

What are Prenatal Vitamins and What Do They Do?

What are Prenatal Vitamins and What Do They Do?
download-file
Download our complete guide to Prenatal Care
arrow-right
Content
Content

Prenatal vitamins are a crucial component of a healthy pregnancy. They are specifically designed to provide expectant mothers with the essential nutrients needed to support the growth and development of their babies. In this blog, we will discuss the importance of prenatal vitamins, the key nutrients they contain, and tips for choosing the right prenatal vitamin for you.

Why are Prenatal Vitamins Important?

Prenatal vitamins help ensure that a woman gets the necessary nutrients during pregnancy, even if her diet is not perfect. During pregnancy, the body needs certain nutrients, such as folic acid, iron, and calcium, to increase. Prenatal vitamins help to fill in any gaps in a woman’s diet, ensuring that both she and her developing baby are getting the nutrients they need.

Prenatal vitamins can help to prevent birth defects. For example, taking a folic acid supplement before and during early pregnancy has been shown to reduce the risk of neural tube defects by up to 70%.

Prenatal vitamins typically contain a range of essential nutrients, including:

  • Folic acid: Folic acid is a B vitamin that is critical for proper neural tube development. It is recommended that expectant mothers take at least 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid daily, and many prenatal vitamins contain this amount.
  • Iron: Iron is important for the formation of red blood cells and helps to prevent anaemia, which can cause fatigue and weakness. Expectant mothers need 27 milligrams (mg) of iron per day, and most prenatal vitamins contain this amount.
  • Calcium: Calcium is essential for the development of strong bones and teeth. Most prenatal vitamins contain around 200-300 mg of calcium per day.
  • Vitamin D: Vitamin D is important for calcium absorption and helps build strong bones. Most prenatal vitamins contain 400-800 international units (IU) of vitamin D.
  • Vitamin B12: Vitamin B12 is important for the proper functioning of the nervous system and the formation of red blood cells.
  • Iodine: Iodine is important for the proper functioning of the thyroid gland, which regulates metabolism. Most prenatal vitamins contain 150 mcg of iodine per day.
  • Omega-3 fatty acids: Omega-3 fatty acids are important for brain and eye development and are typically found in the form of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) in prenatal vitamins.

Tips for Choosing the Right Prenatal Vitamin

When choosing a prenatal vitamin, it is important to look for a brand that is specifically formulated for expectant mothers and contains the key nutrients discussed above. Some important factors to consider when choosing a prenatal vitamin include:

  • Check the label: Look for a prenatal vitamin that contains the recommended amounts of folic acid, iron, and other key nutrients.
  • Consider your individual needs: If you have a history of anaemia, for example, you may need a prenatal vitamin that contains more iron.
  • Talk to your doctor: Your doctor can help you determine the best prenatal vitamin for your individual needs and can answer any questions you may have about taking prenatal vitamins during pregnancy.

In conclusion..

Prenatal vitamins are an important part of a healthy pregnancy and can help to ensure that both the expectant mother and her developing baby are getting the nutrients they need. By choosing the right prenatal vitamin and taking it as directed, expectant mothers can help to support the healthy growth and development of their babies.


Author:
Shyft Health

Shyft

linkedin
Shyft is your trusted source for health and wellness insights. We collaborate with a network of writers and health experts to curate evidence-based content. This content is further vetted and reviewed by our team of internal experts. Our platform is dedicated to providing you with reliable, accessible health information so you can make informed choices for a healthier life. read more
pcos
pcos
Download our complete guide to Prenatal Care
Enter your details

Enter your phone number or Email
address to download the PDF.

READ MORE ON :

Article By:

Our experts continually monitor the health and wellness space, and we update our articles
when new information becomes available.

Read more

Continue to read on a range of topics related to Exercise, Nutrition, Mental Health and Sleep Health.

Mental Health During Pregnancy

4 minutes

05 Aug 2023

Mental Health During Pregnancy

Pregnancy brings with it a mix of feelings and your feelings can be unpredictable at times. You can be bright and chirpy one moment and irritant the next. You’d also be likely to experience a lot of mood swings during pregnancy. These feelings As you are taking care of yourself as well as your baby, whatever you’re feeling is being felt by your in the same intensity, so you’d want the best for your baby. Pregnancy is a wonderful time… Read more

Featured

Mental Health During Pregnancy

Mental Health During Pregnancy

Pregnancy brings with it a mix of feelings and your feelings can be unpredictable at times. You can be bright and chirpy one moment and irritant the next. You’d also be likely to experience a lot of mood swings during pregnancy. These feelings As you are taking care of yourself as well as your baby, whatever you’re feeling is being felt by your in the same intensity, so you’d want the best for your baby. Pregnancy is a wonderful time…

book

4 minutes

|

calendar

05 Aug 2023

Featured

Prenatal Yogasanas for each Trimester

Prenatal yoga is an excellent way to keep yourself fit and healthy during pregnancy. Not only does it help you stay active, but it can also help ease discomforts such as back pain and insomnia, mood swings, mental and physical fatigue, sickness, breathing problems, and crippling leg cramps. Practising prenatal yoga also provides a great opportunity to connect with your baby and prepare your body and mind for childbirth. In this post, we'll discuss some of the best prenatal yoga… Read more

Prenatal Yogasanas for each Trimester

Prenatal Yogasanas for each Trimester

Prenatal yoga is an excellent way to keep yourself fit and healthy during pregnancy. Not only does it help you stay active, but it can also help ease discomforts such as back pain and insomnia, mood swings, mental and physical fatigue, sickness, breathing problems, and crippling leg cramps. Practising prenatal yoga also provides a great opportunity to connect with your baby and prepare your body and mind for childbirth. In this post, we'll discuss some of the best prenatal yoga…

book

5 minutes

|

calendar

06 Apr 2023

Healthy Habits Couples Should Cultivate For A Smoother Pregnancy And Childbirth Experience

Pregnancy and childbirth are undoubtedly exciting experiences for couples. However, they can also be emotionally and physically taxing. Cultivating healthy habits together can help couples navigate this journey with more ease and support. In this article, we will discuss some habits couples can cultivate for a smoother pregnancy and childbirth experience. Attend Prenatal Classes Together Attending prenatal classes together is a great way for couples to learn more about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. Prenatal classes can provide couples with important… Read more

Featured

Healthy Habits Couples Should Cultivate For A Smoother Pregnancy And Childbirth Experience

Healthy Habits Couples Should Cultivate For A Smoother Pregnancy And Childbirth Experience

Pregnancy and childbirth are undoubtedly exciting experiences for couples. However, they can also be emotionally and physically taxing. Cultivating healthy habits together can help couples navigate this journey with more ease and support. In this article, we will discuss some habits couples can cultivate for a smoother pregnancy and childbirth experience. Attend Prenatal Classes Together Attending prenatal classes together is a great way for couples to learn more about pregnancy, childbirth, and parenting. Prenatal classes can provide couples with important…

book

4 minutes

|

calendar

28 Jul 2023

Featured

Everything You Need To Know About Preeclampsia: Causes, Risk Factors, Treatments

Preeclampsia can be a life-threatening condition for both mother and baby if not treated properly. In this article, we'll take an in-depth look at preeclampsia - what it is, the risk factors associated with it, and the treatments available to ensure the safety of both mother and baby. With all this information, you can make sure that you are well informed about this serious condition. Introduction to Preeclampsia preeclampsia is a disorder that can occur during pregnancy, typically after the… Read more

Most read

Everything You Need To Know About Preeclampsia: Causes, Risk Factors, Treatments

Everything You Need To Know About Preeclampsia: Causes, Risk Factors, Treatments

Preeclampsia can be a life-threatening condition for both mother and baby if not treated properly. In this article, we'll take an in-depth look at preeclampsia - what it is, the risk factors associated with it, and the treatments available to ensure the safety of both mother and baby. With all this information, you can make sure that you are well informed about this serious condition. Introduction to Preeclampsia preeclampsia is a disorder that can occur during pregnancy, typically after the…

book

5 minutes

|

calendar

26 May 2023

Most read