Supplementation of certain nutrients is necessary during pregnancy. Specialists have precisely defined what it should be and in what amounts - and you should follow these recommendations! Read what to consider when buying a preparation with vitamins and minerals.

Perhaps you sometimes wonder if supplementation during pregnancy is really necessary? After all, nobody used it once, and children were also born … It is of course true that a child will be born without it. But if today we know through science that certain nutrients have a positive effect on the course of pregnancy and the he alth of the baby, why should we not use this knowledge?

Pregnancy supplementation is not absolutely necessary with a well-balanced (preferably a dietitian) and varied diet. Nevertheless, additional supplementation - and there is no doubt about it today - increases the chances that the child will not have problems with mental development, good vision, and will not develop kidney disease, diabetes or obesity. It was not known in the past that nutrients, especially nutrient deficiencies, could have such an effect on the fetus. Neither were exact statistics kept, so it was not really known how many babies were born sick. Many of them - much more than today - did not survive due to serious defects, including those related solely to genetic aspects. But the mothers expected such an eventuality. Taking all this into account, it is really not worth rejecting such a chance - you have to follow the recommendations of experts on supplementation.

What nutrients and in what amounts should every pregnant woman take, according to the recommendations of specialists from the Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians? When buying a pregnancy preparation, pay attention to its composition - it should contain at least five ingredients listed below in strictly defined doses. It is worth remembering these values ​​- in case you come across a doctor who will not tell you which preparation to take.

Here are five ingredients that must be in a good pregnancy dietary supplement:

FOLIC ACID: to prevent neural tube defects

It is the most important nutrient before conception and in the first weeks of pregnancy. It is necessary because it reduces - by as much as 70%! - the risk of your baby developing neural tube defects, such asanencephaly and spina bifida. In addition, folic acid is involved in the production of red blood cells, reducing the risk of anemia in the expectant mother.

WHEN TO TAKE IT?It is best to start taking it 12 weeks before conception and continue supplementation at least until the end of the first trimester of pregnancy. The new recommendations indicate that folate supplementation should be continued throughout pregnancy, puerperium and breastfeeding.

RECOMMENDED DOSE:400 mcg daily. Note: even every second woman in Poland may have a problem with the absorption of ordinary folic acid, so it is worth taking a preparation that, in addition to the classic folic acid, also contains folates in an active form, ready for use by the body. The new recommendations also indicate that women at increased risk of fetal defects and pregnancy complications should take folates at a dose of 0.4 mg per day, increased by another 0.4 mg, preferably in the form of active folates. In supplementation, it is recommended to use preparations additionally enriched with vitamin B12.

DHA: for the child to have a higher IQ

It is the most valuable omega-3 fatty acid during pregnancy. It is naturally found only in marine fish fat, algae and seafood. It is worth taking it during pregnancy for several reasons - primarily for better development of the child's brain, which will translate into better intellectual development in the future. DHA acid also improves visual acuity because it is an important building component of the eye's retina. In addition, it extends the duration of pregnancy, reducing the risk of preterm labor, improves the birth parameters of the child (body weight and length, head circumference), and reduces the mother's susceptibility to postpartum depression.

WHEN TO TAKE IT?DHA preparations should be taken at least from the 20th week of pregnancy - this means that you can also take it earlier, even from the moment you learn about pregnancy.

RECOMMENDED DOSE:Polish experts recommend a dose of at least 600 mg of DHA per day. In other countries, these doses are lower, but Poland is a country with a very low consumption of fish.

JOD: Necessary for brain development

It is an element needed to produce thyroid hormones, incl. thyroxine, which plays an important role in the formation of the central nervous system of the fetus. In the early stages of pregnancy, the development of this system is completely dependent on the production of thyroxine in the mother's body, because the fetus does not have its own thyroid gland (it is formed between the 10th and 12th week of pregnancy). Also after that, the fetus needs iodine from the mother, because it is an element necessary for the proper development of the baby's brain - its large onedeficiency can lead to mental retardation.

WHEN TO TAKE IT?It is best to take iodine throughout your pregnancy - and thereafter, while you are breastfeeding.

RECOMMENDED DOSE:150-200 μg daily

Consult your doctor regarding the choice of a supplement

It's always a good idea to consult a doctor. When pregnant, it is better not to experiment, and a specialist should know best which of the products contains the necessary ingredients in the right amounts. In addition, in special cases, the doctor may recommend taking some ingredients in higher doses or supplementing the supplementation with additional ingredients, e.g. higher. Unfortunately, not every doctor attaches the right importance to the matter of supplementation. If you come across someone who says: "Please buy some vitamins," then

VITAMIN D: not only on the skeleton

Its adequate amount in the body of the future mother is a guarantee of the proper development of the fetus. Vitamin D not only prevents congenital rickets or the reduction of bone mass in a child - as we have known for years - but its receptors are present in almost all tissues and organs of the human body! This means that its role is much greater than previously thought and probably not fully explored yet. For now, we know that in addition to preventing rickets, vitamin D reduces the risk of gestational diabetes and pre-eclampsia in a mother-to-be, and also prevents low birth weight and a positive effect on the development of the immune system.

Vitamin D is produced in the skin under the influence of the sun, but as a result of the use of sunscreen creams and lifestyle changes (working in buildings without windows, constantly moving cars), it is now noted all over the world, also in Poland common deficiencies of this vitamin, so every pregnant woman should take it in the form of a supplement.

WHEN TO USE IT?Throughout pregnancy - including the summer months!

RECOMMENDED DOSE:New vitamin D supplementation recommendations from 2022 indicate that a vitamin D dose should be 2,000 IU throughout pregnancy.

IRON: to prevent anemia

The last in the so-called iron is the top five pregnancy supplements, but experts disagree about it. The Polish Society of Gynecologists and Obstetricians recommends supplementation only when anemia is diagnosed in a pregnant woman, but many foreign societies recommend prophylactic supplementation in all future mothers. The main purpose of taking iron during pregnancy is to prevent anemia as this can happen in a pregnant womanlead to abnormal growth of the fetus, premature birth, and in early pregnancy - even miscarriage.

Iron is also necessary for the proper functioning of the brain, which is why its large deficit in the mother's body may cause delayed mental development of the child. There is one more important reason to take them: your little one needs to stock up on this element for the first few months of life. Therefore, it is worth making sure that there is a lot of iron in your daily diet from the beginning of pregnancy, especially since the demand for it increases by almost half at that time.

WHEN TO TAKE THEM?Iron preparations should be taken only after the end of the 8th week of pregnancy. It is associated with the possible adverse effect of iron on the embryo during this period. Supplementation in a prophylactic dose can be continued until the end of pregnancy, unless your doctor tells you otherwise.

RECOMMENDED DOSE:prophylactically - 26 mg per day; after anemia is diagnosed - the dose for a specific woman is determined by the doctor in charge of the pregnancy

Interesting research results
  • Iodine deficienciesin the first half of pregnancy may be associated with the risk of developing ADHD in a child - such conclusions come from a study conducted a few years ago by scientists from the University of Messina (Italy).
  • A study conducted at Columbia University in New York showed that takingfolic acidbefore and during pregnancy has a positive effect on speech development: babies of mothers taking supplementation start talking earlier and do better deal with building verbal statements.
  • There is a direct relationship between the supply ofDHAin the mother's diet and the child's intelligence level. Harvard University experts have calculated that each additional 100 mg of DHA in the diet of a pregnant woman raises the child's IQ by 0.13 points!
  • Vitamin D deficiencyin utero may lead to disturbances in the development of the nervous system and contribute to the development of some mental diseases, such as schizophrenia and depression.

Folic acid, vitamin D3, iodine, DHA, and iron are the five most important substances to take while waiting for a baby. Nutrients must be ingested in the correct doses. For this reason, these big five are the basis for the composition of all pregnancy preparations - usually one tablet corresponds to the daily requirement for all five valuable substances.

However, you must remember that you and your baby also need other vitamins and minerals. There are many of them, and the most important are calcium, magnesium, choline, B vitaminsand antioxidants, i.e. vitamins C and E. The nutrients in the big five must be taken in the form of supplements, the rest - rather not (unless the attending physician decides otherwise), but it is also always good to provide them to the body in a traditional way, i.e. along with food. When planning your menu, it is worth choosing exactly those products that are a good source of these valuable substances.

CALCIUM- it is necessary for a child to build a bone skeleton. Its absorption depends not only on the amount provided in food, but also on the presence of vitamin D3, which improves the absorption of calcium. The daily requirement of calcium during pregnancy is 1,300 mg.

Most valuable sources: cheese (6 slices is 876 mg) natural yogurt (a cup contains 255 mg) sardines (a can is 250 mg)

MAGNESIUM- is responsible for the regulation of neuromuscular conduction, therefore it supports the functioning of the nervous system, prevents cramps and helps to maintain proper pressure. It is important in the structure of the child's skeleton and in the processes of its growth. The daily requirement for this ingredient during pregnancy is 400-500 mg.

The most valuable sources: pumpkin seeds (100 g is 540 mg of magnesium) buckwheat (3/4 cup of uncooked groats contains 220 mg) cocoa (a bar of dark chocolate is 170 mg)

VITAMINS FROM GROUP B- affect the mother's nervous system and metabolism, but its deficiency may also have a negative impact on the child, and more precisely on the development of his nervous and cardiovascular systems and gastrointestinal tract. Vitamin B12 is especially important to prevent anemia. The daily requirement for this vitamin is 4 µg.

The most valuable sources: pike (100 g of fish contains 20 µg) beef (100 g is 5 µg) milk (2% of a glass of milk is 1.5 µg)

When choosing a supplement, consult your doctor

It's always a good idea to consult a doctor. When pregnant, it is better not to experiment, and a specialist should know best which of the products contains the necessary ingredients in the right amounts. In addition, in special cases, the doctor may recommend taking some ingredients in higher doses or supplementing the supplementation with additional ingredients, e.g. higher ones.

Unfortunately, not every doctor attaches the right importance to the matter of supplementation. If you come across someone who says: "Please buy some vitamins," you should read this text carefully.

CHOLINE- is an important component of cell membranes in both the mother and the fetus. It is a valuable substancefor the unborn child: improves the conduction of nerve impulses in the brain, supports the transport of DHA, and, according to some researchers, also reduces the risk of genetic defects (e.g. Down syndrome). Research shows that it also affects the mother's he alth - it reduces the risk of pre-eclampsia. The daily norm of choline intake for future mothers is 450 mg.

The most valuable sources: eggs (5 yolks contain 680 mg of choline) beef (1 cutlet is approx. 500 mg) broccoli (100 g contains 40 mg of choline)

VITAMIN C- is a valuable antioxidant that protects cells and provides them with nutrients. It improves immunity, but most of all it improves the absorption of iron - a component supporting the synthesis of hemoglobin. Daily requirement: 1.5 mg per kilogram body weight.

The most valuable sources: wild rose (100 g is about 2000 mg) yellow pepper (one piece is over 300 mg) horseradish (100 g of horseradish is 114 mg

source: "M jak mama" monthly

Category:

Pregnancy