Prenatal Vitamins by Christina Rejko

One of the most important aspects of prenatal care is taking prenatal vitamins.  Prenatal vitamins boost the amount of nutrients a mother receives throughout her daily food consumption and ensures that the baby will receive the nutrients he or she needs to grow and develop.  However, it is important to note that prenatal vitamins are not intended to take the place of eating healthy, but rather compliment it.  Ideally, women should start taking prenatal vitamins before they even become pregnant.  Health care providers recommend that a women should continue taking the vitamins even after the baby is born, especially if the mother is breast feeding.  

The four most important minerals in prenatal vitamins include folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin D. Having enough folic acid is crucial in the baby's developing neural tube.  If there is a deficiency, then the spinal cord does not close all the way, creating birth defects such as Spina Bifida.  Choline, another mineral that is not contained in prenatal vitamins, also helps to prevent neural tube defects.  Iron is important in making red blood cells and supplying oxygen to cells for energy and growth.  It also is responsible for building bones, cartilage and other connective tissue.  Calcium and Vitamin D also contribute to growing bones, teeth, nerves, a strong heart, and muscles.  (See below for a complete chart of all the nutrients that a baby needs throughout the pregnancy--from babycenter.com.)  Without these vitamins a developing baby would not have the appropriate nutrients it needs to develop and morbidity or mortality could occur during the pregnancy or after birth.  

Women should talk with their health care provider before starting prenatal vitamins to verify that the brand meets the suggested recommendations.  If a mother is a vegetarian or has medical conditions, such as diabetes or anemia, or has previously delivered a low-birthweight or baby with a neural defect, her doctor might recommend additional supplements.   

However, if a woman's doctor does not specifically recommend to take extra supplements, it is not advised.  Although it seems logical that taking extra supplements would improve the baby's health even more, it actually has the opposite effect and can harm the baby.   Therefore, taking megadoses of any vitamin or mineral without medical supervision is not recommended.  

Chart of Nutrients Needed throughout Pregnancy to help the Baby Develop and Grow 

Nutrient	Daily amount	Do you need a supplement?*	Benefit to your baby	Food source
Calcium	1,000 mg	Maybe	Grows strong bones and teeth, healthy nerves, heart, and muscles; develops heart rhythm and blood clotting.	8 oz. skim milk: 301 mg, 8 oz. calcium-fortified orange juice: 300 mg, 1 oz. mozzarella cheese: 222 mg, 2 corn tortillas: 92 mg
Choline	450 mg	Maybe	Helps brain cells develop properly; helps prevent neural tube defects.	1 hard-boiled egg: 113 mg, 3 oz. pork: 88 mg, 3 oz. cod: 71 mg
Chromium	30 mcg	No	Promotes the building of protein in your baby's growing tissues; regulates blood sugar levels.	1 tbsp. peanut butter: 41 mcg, 3 oz. broiled skinless chicken: 22 mcg, 1 apple: 15 mcg
Copper	1 mg	No	Helps form heart, skeletal, and nervous systems, arteries, and blood vessels	3 oz. canned crab meat: 1.0 mg, 1 oz. raw cashews: 0.6 mg, 1/2 cup cooked kidney beans: 0.2 mg
Folic Acid	at least 600 mcg during pregnancy	Yes	Helps prevent neural tube defects; may reduce risk of other birth defects; critical for DNA production (building block of cells).	1/2 cup lentils: 179 mcg, 1/2 cup fortified cereal: 133 mcg, 4 steamed or boiled asparagus spears: 81 mcg
Iodine	220 mcg	No	Regulates metabolism; helps nervous system develop.	3 oz. cod: 99 mcg, 1 cup low-fat yogurt: 87 mcg, 1 tbsp wakame (sea vegetable): 82 mcg, 1/4 tsp iodized salt: 67 to 100 mcg, 1 baked potato with skin: 60 mcg
Iron	27 mg (almost double the amount for women who aren't pregnant)	Yes	Makes red blood cells; supplies oxygen to cells for energy and growth; builds bones, cartilage, and other connective tissue.	1 cup iron-fortified cereal: 24 mg, 1/2 cup cooked lentils: 3.3 mg, 1/2 cup boiled spinach: 3.2 mg, 3 oz. beef tenderloin: 3 mg
Magnesium	350 mg	Maybe	Helps build strong bones and teeth; regulates insulin and blood sugar levels; builds and repairs tissue.	1 oz. dried pumpkin seeds: 152 mg, 3 oz. halibut: 90 mg, 1 cup spinach pasta: 87 mg
Manganese	2 mg	No	Helps form bones and cartilage; helps protect cells from damage; activates enzymes that help metabolize protein, fat, and carbohydrates.	1 cup cooked brown rice: 1.8 mg, 1 cup cooked oatmeal: 1.3 mg, 1/2 cup pineapple chunks: 0.9 mg
Pantothenic Acid	6 mg	No	Essential for production of hormones and cholesterol and for the metabolism of carbohydrates, proteins, and fats.	1/2 avocado: 1.1 mg; 1 cup nonfat milk: 1.0 mg; 1 hard-boiled egg: 0.7 mg
Phosphorus	700 mg	No	Builds strong bones; develops blood clotting, kidney function, and normal heart rhythm.	3 oz. canned salmon (with bones): 251 mg, 1 cup nonfat milk: 247 mg, 1/2 cup cooked black beans: 241 mg, 3 oz. lean beef patty: 189 mg
Potassium	4,700 mg	No	Helps maintain fluid and electrolyte balance; aids muscle contractions, energy metabolism, and nerve function.	1 baked potato: 844 mg, 8 oz. prune juice: 706 mg, 1/2 cup cooked lima beans: 484 mg, 1/4 cup dried[SB1] apricots: 378 mg
Riboflavin	1.4 mg	No	Promotes growth, good vision, and healthy skin; essential for baby's bone, muscle, and nerve development.	1 cup nonfat yogurt: 0.5 mg, 3 oz. skinless duck: 0.4 mg, 1/2 cup cooked mushrooms: 0.2 mg, 1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese: 0.2 mg
Thiamine	1.4 mg	No	Converts carbohydrates into energy; essential for brain development; aids heart and nervous system growth.	1/2 cup oats: 0.6 mg, 3 oz. pork tenderloin: 0.8 mg, 1 cup enriched spinach noodles: 0.4 mg, 1/2 cup cooked split peas: 0.2 mg
Vitamin A	770 mcg RAE (retinol activity equivalents) OR 2,565 IU (international units)	No	Important for cell growth, eye development, healthy skin and mucous membranes, infection resistance, bone growth, and fat metabolism.	1 baked sweet potato: 1,096 mcg RAE, 1/2 cup boiled spinach: 573 mcg RAE; 1 raw carrot: 509 mcg RAE
Vitamin B6	1.9 mg	No	Aids metabolism of protein, fats, and carbohydrates; helps form new red blood cells and develop the brain and nervous system.	1 banana: 0.7 mg, 1 baked potato: 0.7 mg, 1/2 cup canned chickpeas: 0.6 mg, 3 oz. chicken breast: 0.5 mg
Vitamin C	85 mg	No	Essential for tissue repair and the production of collagen (a component of cartilage, tendons, bones, and skin).	8 oz. orange juice: 124 mg, 1/2 cup boiled broccoli: 51 mg, 1/2 cup strawberries: 49 mg, 1/2 cup cantaloupe: 29 mg
Vitamin D	5 mcg (200 IU) or more	Yes	Helps build bones and teeth.	3 oz. salmon: 8 mcg; 1 cup milk: 2 mcg
Zinc	11 mg	Maybe	Aids cell growth;  crucial for DNA production.	3 oz. Alaskan king crab: 6.5 mg, 1/2 cup firm tofu: 2 mg; 1 cup fruit-flavored yogurt: 1.8 mg

References: 

BabyCenter Medical Advisory Board (2013). Seven principles of eating well during pregnancy. Retrieved from http://www.babycenter.com/pregnancy-eating-well?page=1.