What's in Your Prenatal Vitamin?
Did you know not all Prenatal Vitamins have the same ingredients in them?
Take a look at my comparison charts of different brands:
Closer Look At Pre-Natal Vitamins.
Closer Look At Pre-Natal Vitamins.
Now that you have seen them, you might be wondering, so?
What's the big deal?
The big deal is...
You may be deficient in some important vitamins and minerals. The good news is, that can easily be fixed if you catch it early or prevent it from happening, by taking a prenatal vitamin that has more in it. Prenatal vitamins are recommended before, during, and after pregnancy. * If you have any concerns, speak with your healthcare provider to see what your levels for the following look like and about how little or how much of a supplement you need to take for your health.
Healthy Child.org's article, 5 Myths About Prenatal Vitamins, the second myth is all prenatal vitamins are basically the same. "It says there are some key ingredients you should look for in a prenatal vitamin, Folic Acid (folate for those who have MTHFR), Iron, Calcium, Iodine, Vitamin D, Selenium, Copper, Zinc, Vitamin C, A, and E" (Boyle).
Iodine
Did you know, not all prenatal vitamins even have Iodine as an ingredient? A recent study in 2014 showed that pregnant women and breastfeeding moms may be deficient in Iodine. A deficiency in Iodine can lead to an increase in the risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, and stillbirth. An article from the American Academy of Pediatrics stated, "Prenatal vitamins don't contain a reliable amount of Iodine" (American Academy of Pediatrics).
Copper
Copper, a mineral essential in forming red blood cells, but not found in every prenatal vitamin. According to Babycenter.com, pregnant women need 1 mg daily, and breastfeeding moms 1.3 mg daily. article link: Copper in Your Pregnancy Diet.
Healthy Child.org's article, 5 Myths About Prenatal Vitamins, the second myth is all prenatal vitamins are basically the same. "It says there are some key ingredients you should look for in a prenatal vitamin, Folic Acid (folate for those who have MTHFR), Iron, Calcium, Iodine, Vitamin D, Selenium, Copper, Zinc, Vitamin C, A, and E" (Boyle).
Iodine
Did you know, not all prenatal vitamins even have Iodine as an ingredient? A recent study in 2014 showed that pregnant women and breastfeeding moms may be deficient in Iodine. A deficiency in Iodine can lead to an increase in the risk of miscarriage, preterm delivery, and stillbirth. An article from the American Academy of Pediatrics stated, "Prenatal vitamins don't contain a reliable amount of Iodine" (American Academy of Pediatrics).
Copper
Copper, a mineral essential in forming red blood cells, but not found in every prenatal vitamin. According to Babycenter.com, pregnant women need 1 mg daily, and breastfeeding moms 1.3 mg daily. article link: Copper in Your Pregnancy Diet.
Magnesium
Women who are deficient in Magnesium...
- Are less likely to conceive, because of spasms in Fallopian tubes.
- If pregnant, you have a greater risk of having a miscarriage.
- If pregnant, have a greater risk of premature labor, because of uterus sensitivity.
- If pregnant can have morning sickness.
- Could get pre-eclampsia during pregnancy, since it is associated with low magnesium.
- with a severe case, can also end up with low calcium and potassium levels.
- Have symptoms of nausea, vomiting, fatigue, loss of appetite, poor memory...
According to www.homemademommy.net's article, How to Prevent Morning Sickness, "Morning sickness may be caused by a deficiency in magnesium. Magnesium helps regulate our stress hormone levels. However, when we are deficient in magnesium, it allows our levels to stay high. That increases our blood sugar and the body has to trigger an insulin response. This cycle can create nausea and lead to vomiting. The trick to avoiding that is said to be building your magnesium stores before you become pregnant. It was recommended, that one should build stores for 3-6 months before becoming pregnant.
BabyCenter.com says, "Vitamin D increases magnesium absorption and pregnant women ages 19 to 30 need 350 mg per day, pregnant women 31 and older, 360 mg per day. Breastfeeding moms 19 to 30, 310 mg per day and breastfeeding moms 31 and older, 320 mg per day." Are you getting enough?
According to the article, Is it Safe to Take Magnesium In Pregnancy? pregnant women only get a third of the minimum they need in food. It even goes so far as to say most of the Western world is mildly magnesium deficient. And there are many people in our population who are experiencing mild signs of a magnesium deficiency and aren't aware of it. The RDA is 300 mg per day for women, but the article explains that most women only get 100 per day and most prenatal vitamins that have magnesium only have around 100 mg. However, some prenatal vitamins do not have any magnesium. This creates a deficiency of 3000 mg every month during pregnancy. Pregnant women who have a lower intake of magnesium due to morning sickness and excessive vomiting may have the worst deficiency than others.
articles: Magnesium during Pregnancy, Magnesium In Your Pregnancy, Magnesium, Is it Safe to Take Magnesium In Pregnancy?
Baby Center Medical Advisory Board. "Iodine in Your Pregnancy Diet." Baby Center. Baby Center, L.L.C, 2015. Web. 19 Dec. 2015. <http://www.babycenter.com/0_iodine-in-your-pregnancy-diet_667.bc>.
Boyle, Megan. "5 Myths About Prenatal Vitamins." 5 Myths About Prenatal Vitamins. Healthy Child Healthy World, 3 Feb. 2016. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. <http://www.healthychild.org/5-myths-about-prenatal-vitamins/>.
"Copper in Your Pregnancy Diet." BabyCenter. Baby Center, L.L.C, 2015. Web. 29 Dec. 2015. <http://www.babycenter.com/0_copper-in-your-pregnancy-diet_677.bc>.
Gremont, Lindsey. "How to Prevent Morning Sickness." Home Made Mommy. Homemademommy.net, 2015. Web. 19 Dec. 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.homemademommy.net%2F2013%2F03%2Fhow-to-prevent-morning-sickness-and-a-giveaway.html>.
"Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women May Be Deficient in Iodine; AAP Recommends Supplements." American Academy of Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics, 26 May 2014. Web. 19 July 2014. <https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/Pregnant-and-Brestfeeding-Women-May-Be-.aspx>.
Last Edited: June 20, 2023
BabyCenter.com says, "Vitamin D increases magnesium absorption and pregnant women ages 19 to 30 need 350 mg per day, pregnant women 31 and older, 360 mg per day. Breastfeeding moms 19 to 30, 310 mg per day and breastfeeding moms 31 and older, 320 mg per day." Are you getting enough?
According to the article, Is it Safe to Take Magnesium In Pregnancy? pregnant women only get a third of the minimum they need in food. It even goes so far as to say most of the Western world is mildly magnesium deficient. And there are many people in our population who are experiencing mild signs of a magnesium deficiency and aren't aware of it. The RDA is 300 mg per day for women, but the article explains that most women only get 100 per day and most prenatal vitamins that have magnesium only have around 100 mg. However, some prenatal vitamins do not have any magnesium. This creates a deficiency of 3000 mg every month during pregnancy. Pregnant women who have a lower intake of magnesium due to morning sickness and excessive vomiting may have the worst deficiency than others.
articles: Magnesium during Pregnancy, Magnesium In Your Pregnancy, Magnesium, Is it Safe to Take Magnesium In Pregnancy?
Sources
Boyle, Megan. "5 Myths About Prenatal Vitamins." 5 Myths About Prenatal Vitamins. Healthy Child Healthy World, 3 Feb. 2016. Web. 07 Feb. 2016. <http://www.healthychild.org/5-myths-about-prenatal-vitamins/>.
"Copper in Your Pregnancy Diet." BabyCenter. Baby Center, L.L.C, 2015. Web. 29 Dec. 2015. <http://www.babycenter.com/0_copper-in-your-pregnancy-diet_677.bc>.
Gremont, Lindsey. "How to Prevent Morning Sickness." Home Made Mommy. Homemademommy.net, 2015. Web. 19 Dec. 2015. <http%3A%2F%2Fwww.homemademommy.net%2F2013%2F03%2Fhow-to-prevent-morning-sickness-and-a-giveaway.html>.
"Pregnant and Breastfeeding Women May Be Deficient in Iodine; AAP Recommends Supplements." American Academy of Pediatrics. American Academy of Pediatrics, 26 May 2014. Web. 19 July 2014. <https://www.aap.org/en-us/about-the-aap/aap-press-room/Pages/Pregnant-and-Brestfeeding-Women-May-Be-.aspx>.
Last Edited: June 20, 2023
Comments
Post a Comment