Prenatal Vitamins

Maternity supplements or prenatal vitamins comprise the daily vitamins and minerals that are important during pregnancy. During pregnancy, the to-be mother will need more folic acid to help form the neural tube.

In this endeavour, including folic acid pills for pregnancy in the routine is a convenient solution. Iron is another nutrient that is essential for supplying oxygen to the foetus. This is why iron vitamins for pregnancy are so critical.

In addition to benefits to the health of the baby and the mother, pregnancy multivitamin medicines can also reduce pregnancy symptoms such as morning sickness and nausea.

Brands such as Nature Made prenatal vitamins are a popular choice among to-be mothers but it is advised to speak with your doctor before consuming any supplements.

Prenatal vitamins comprise all the essential recommended daily vitamins and minerals needed for the to-be mother’s body during pregnancy.

Here are the necessary vitamins and nutrients that a mom-to-be's body needs:

Folic Acid

Women of reproductive age are advised to consume 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid every day. This is over and above consuming a folate-rich diet. Both these aspects are critical for preventing some severe birth defects in the baby’s brain and spine.

Folic acid is a synthetic vitamin, which means that it does not occur naturally, so a form of folate is used in supplements and fortified foods such as pasta, rice, breakfast cereals, etc.

Your doctor may recommend a folate supplement for pregnancy to ensure you are not deficient.

Iron

Pregnant women are at an increased risk of anaemia (iron deficiency). This is because the volume of blood increases during pregnancy and with it increases the amount of iron you need.

The body uses iron to make more blood to supply oxygen to your baby. So, if your diet is not supplemented with adequate iron, you may develop a deficiency.

To prevent this, you can take iron vitamins for pregnancy through a supplement in the dose prescribed by your doctor.

Calcium

The requirement of calcium vitamins for pregnancy is not well known. However, the body tries to maintain calcium homeostasis during pregnancy as part of the many significant maternal physiological changes.

To meet the mineral demands of the growing foetus, increased intestinal calcium absorption is required. So, calcium vitamins for pregnancy for women with insufficient dietary calcium intake can help prevent preeclampsia and preterm births. It also helps improve the bone health of the mother and her infant.

Vitamin D

Low levels of vitamin D in to-be mothers can be associated with several health concerns for their infants, including enamel issues, increased chances of lower bone mineral content and ADHD.

Conversely, vitamin D supplements for deficient women can improve foetal growth and reduce the risks of gestational diabetes, preeclampsia, preterm birth, and small-for-gestational-age birth.

To prevent this, research recommends pregnant women must be supplemented with 600 IU/day of vitamin D3.

Choline

Much like folic acid pills for pregnancy, choline helps with the proper development of the baby's brain and spinal cord. This is because choline gets transformed into a neurotransmitter, helping with muscle contraction and brain development, including memory and thinking.

Choline also protects babies against neural tube defects. Although it is possible to consume the recommended amount of choline with a varied diet, pregnant women who don't get enough from diet alone may need a supplement.

Omega-3

Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid found in seafood and algae. However, it has been observed that pregnant women don’t eat enough fish and therefore do not consume enough omega-3 fatty acids.

Yet, as omega-3 is the critical building block for the foetal brain and retina, adequate consumption of this fatty acid is imperative during pregnancy.

Some animal studies have shown that a deficiency of omega-3 fatty acids during pregnancy is associated with visual and behavioural deficits that postnatal supplementation cannot reverse.

B vitamins

Foods that are rich in the eight B vitamins (a.k.a. B complex) keep the to-be mother’s body strong during foetal growth and also turn food into energy. Some essential benefits of B complex vitamins include:

Foetal brain and nervous system development

Improves digestion and relieves morning sickness and nausea

Helps create pregnancy hormones and eases leg cramps

Owing to the aforementioned, maternity supplements typically contain B vitamins.

Vitamin C

A water-soluble and potent antioxidant, vitamin C is critical for the growth and development of the baby and the to-be mother and also for removing genetic defects. Vitamin C is also known as ascorbic acid because it can help your body absorb iron more efficiently.

Both the mother as well as the baby will need vitamin C to produce collagen - a protein that is essential for healthy skin, tendons, cartilage, tissue repair and healing, and bone growth.

Motherhood is an important transition in the life of a woman. However, as one grows older, pregnancy-related complications can increase. In addition to this, expenses and responsibilities that come with motherhood can leave one feeling distressed when unprepared for them. To prevent this, to-be mothers can buy health insurance online that offers maternity coverage.

A medical insurance plan for pregnancy will take care of all expenses associated with childbirth including the cost of delivery, hospitalisation, pre and post-natal care, medical tests, medicines, and other newborn baby expenses.

However, it is important to note that maternity health insurance plans in India come with a waiting period ranging anywhere between 9 months to 6 years. So, it is advised that women who intend to start a family opt for this policy in advance.

The benefits of health insurance extend beyond financial assistance to offer peace of mind - an important requirement in pregnancy.