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submitted: Aug 26th 2008 | by: KeithM.Henry | Total views: 1 | Word Count: 604 | |

Due to our increased knowledge with regard to health, many women have become informed with regard to the importance of prenatal vitamins and their role in preventing birth defects. It is important to know that both mother and child do have increased nutritional needs during pregnancy.Although many women are prescribed prenatal vitamins by their doctors during their pregnancy, it is becoming more common in some areas that even women who are planning to conceive begin taking prenatal vitamins. Thus many women begin protecting their body's early.

Most Prenatal vitamins are specially formulated to make up for nutritional deficiencies in a mother's diet, and contain supplements such as vitamins, zinc, iron, and calcium. Perhaps most important, they contain folic acid, which reduces the risk of serious birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. Prenatal vitamins could very well prove to play a vital role in a healthy pregnancy and a healthy baby, due in large part to the great defiencies now found in most of our food. However, prenatal vitamins are not meant to be your sole source of nutrients. They are meant to supplement, or prevent certain nutrient deficiencies. Eating a healthy, varied and balanced diet will go a long way toward ensuring the health of both mother and infant.

IMPORTANT NUTRIENTS FOR MOTHER AND CHILD:

DHA

DHA is a fatty acid that is crucial for baby's brain development from the earliest stages of pregnancy through the breast feeding years. DHA is a type of essential polyunsaturated fatty acids belonging to omega 3 families. There are two types of essential fatty acids - omega 3 and omega 6 families. DHA is an omega-3 fatty acid that appears to be important for brain, eye, and heart health. The typical American diet is usually deficient in DHA.

IRON

The mineral iron is drawn upon heavily by the baby in the third trimester of pregnancy; it draws its supply from the stored supply of the mother. Iron is very important, and will be found in most prenatal vitamins.

FOLIC ACID

Folic acid, as many women already know, is absolutely crucial for a healthy pregnancy. Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects that can occur in babies. Interestingly it is found in several of the foods that we eat. It is found in dark leafy vegetables, citrus fruits, whole grain, etc.

Folic acid has been proven crucial for a baby's neural tube development, especially during the first trimester when women are most likely to suffer from nausea and vomiting. In fact, some recommend women should start taking about 400 micrograms of folate at least a month before they start trying to conceive.

CALCIUM

Calcium is certainly important in the development of a new baby. Calcium, 400 mg/day, and magnesium, 300 mg/day, help protect the mother's bones and can help prevent pre-eclampsia. Chromium, 200 mg/day, helps control the mother's blood sugar, and look for the following B vitamins: B12, 120 mg/day; B6, 20 mg/day, and B5, also known as pantothenic acid, 20 mg/day. CALCIUM - A supplement that contains 2-300 mg calcium is just a start toward reaching the recommended 1200 mg daily. However, anything beyond 250 mg of calcium (or 25 mg of magnesium) should not be taken at the same time as supplemental iron since both calcium and magnesium interfere with the absorption of the iron.

Not all prenatal vitamins are of the same quality of course. They all tend to have all of the basic nutrients in them that are necessary at such a crucial time for a woman's body. However, the best prenatal will provide what mother and child needs, at just the right amounts, as well as avoiding amounts that tend to toxicity.

About the Author

Keith Henry is a Medical Missionary Herbalist, and Naturopatheic Doctor Candidate.Check out Prenatal Vitamins for the Prenatal Vitamin He recommends. These Prenatal Vitamins even include prenatals with herbs.

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