Pregnant women should take multivitamins. Only absolutely healthy women can refuse them, whose pregnancy is perfect, and the diet is varied and meets the requirements of proper nutrition. In practice, this is extremely rare.
During pregnancy and lactation, all women are recommended to take additional vitamins for pregnant women. You need to choose not monovitamins, but those that are created for pregnant and lactating women. Before taking any multivitamin for pregnant women, you need to consult a gynecologist. It is important to take into account the health of the future mother, nutrition, concomitant diseases, and even the region of residence.
How Does Pregnancy Affects Your Needs for Vitamins and Minerals?
No one is surprised by the fact that during pregnancy a woman instinctively consumes more foods, and sometimes even those that she never liked. It is believed that taste preferences push her to choose the products that are necessary for the child at the moment. What nutrients do the body of a woman and a baby need the most?
So, during pregnancy:
- 1. you need 17-33% more iodine, vitamins B6 and B12, zinc;
- 2. one and a half times more calcium;
- 3. twice as much folic acid;
- 4. twice as much iron.
Without filling the need for these substances, a woman risks a lot, because at the time of pregnancy she is responsible not only for her life, but also for the life of her unborn baby. Thus, in the first trimester, a lack of vitamins and microelements can cause abnormalities in the development of the fetus, and in severe cases, causes its death [3]. Vitamin deficiency can lead to malfunctions in the nervous, cardiovascular, digestive and other systems of the baby, malformations of a number of its organs. At the same time, nutrient requirements are different at each stage. For example, in the second and third trimesters of pregnancy, the need for vitamins and minerals can increase by 30-40%. At the same time, in no case should the expectant mother overeat during this period, as this can turn into problems for both the baby and the pregnant woman. If we talk about the well-being of a pregnant woman, then most women recognize the first and third trimesters as the most difficult. The first is due to toxicosis, and the third is due to the increased load on the body of a pregnant woman, which can be manifested by edema, varicose veins, increased blood pressure and other complications.
The decision, it would seem, suggests itself: you need to enrich the diet with vitamins, micro- and macroelements as much as possible. With the help of diet alone, it is unlikely that the problem will be solved. Products that are on the shelves of supermarkets are often not so useful. And if they are useful, then not every woman can eat, for example, 800 g of chicken breast per day to fill the need for vitamin B12. That is why experts recommend special vitamin and mineral complexes rich in folic acid, iodine, zinc, iron, lutein, rutin and other essential vitamins and minerals. But then the expectant mother faces another problem: which complex to choose? When you look at the pharmacy window, your eyes widen. Studying the composition will not make the task easier: for example, every expectant mother hardly knows about the benefits of, for example, iodine or routine. There is a solution to the problem – you should study the issue in advance and find out which nutrients and why pregnant women need them. And already, having this invaluable information, you can go to the pharmacy.
Below are the main nutrients needed by pregnant women and their daily intake, as well as the role of individual vitamins and minerals in the development of the fetus and their impact on the well-being of the mother.
Elevit
Suitable for pregnancy planning
If you take multivitamins before pregnancy, they will create a kind of plateau – reserves that will be spent on the needs of the mother and the construction of the body of the fetus, as well as its development. Even if you have a complete diet with fresh vegetables, fruits, herbs, dairy and meat products, vitamin deficiencies may occur. Outside of pregnancy, this is not so critical, but during gestation, it can lead to problems.
Therefore, multivitamins should be started about four weeks before the planned date of conception. First of all, folic acid, iron and a number of other nutrients are needed.
“Elevit” is a complex of three trace elements, four minerals and 12 vitamins that cover all the needs of the mother and fetus during pregnancy and after birth, during breastfeeding.
Contains no iodine. This may be an advantage for women with certain medical conditions or those living in areas where iodine deficiency is not common. Folic acid, which is necessary for the normal development of the fetus and its nervous system, is contained in an easy-to-digest form.
Pros: a complete composition in the optimal dosage. Folic acid in the form of metafolin is better absorbed. The composition is adapted for each trimester of pregnancy.
Cons: the tablet is large – it is difficult for some to swallow, which can stimulate the gag reflex. Contains no iodine.
