While a diet rich in lean proteins, whole grains and colorful fruits and vegetables is the best way to provide the nutrition your body needs during the preconception and prenatal period, a prenatal vitamin can help "fill in the gaps" of any essential nutrients that are lacking in your diet. The idea of choosing a prenatal vitamin, though, when they cover the shelves at your local grocery store, I know can be overwhelming, so I've put together some tips to help you choose the one that's best for you.
What is a Prenatal Vitamin?
A prenatal vitamin is a multivitamin that is designed specifically for women who are trying to conceive and who are pregnant. It's also especially beneficial for women in the postpartum period. Prenatal vitamins are designed to support both the mother's increased needs during pregnancy, as well as support healthy growth and development of her baby. In general, prenatal vitamins contain a higher amount of iron, folate, and iodine than a standard multivitamin.
What to Look for in a Prenatal Vitamin
When looking for a prenatal vitamin, it's important to look for key vitamins and minerals to support optimal health. Some of the key things to look for are:
Folate
At least 400 mcg of folate (B9), which plays a pivotal role in the development of a baby's brain and spinal cord. Deficiencies can lead to birth defects. If you have a known or suspected MTHFR mutation, choosing a vitamin with methylfolate is especially beneficial, as this is the type of folate that is most easily absorbed by the body.
Iron
Iron is another mineral that should be looked at when choosing a prenatal vitamin. Iron is a mineral the body needs for growth and development, and plays an important role in making hemoglobin, a protein in red blood cells that helps oxygenate organs and tissues throughout the body. The Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that 1 in 6 women around the world are deficient in iron, and up to 52% of pregnant women, which can lead to premature birth, low birth weight infants, and postpartum depression.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D is one of the absolute BEST supplements you can take to support your health and your fertility. A 2017 study showed that low vitamin D levels in women using artificial reproductive technology (ART) had lower rates of pregnancy and live birth rates than those with sufficient vitamin D levels. Low D status has also been correlated with obesity, and metabolic and endocrine disturbances in women with PCOS. On the contrary, sufficient vitamin D promotes estrogen and progesterone balance. Vitamin D is also important for men who are trying to conceive as it improves semen quality, sperm motility and testosterone levels in men. While looking for a prenatal with vitamin D in it is a great idea, I would also highly recommend you have your levels tested, if possible, and ask your provider about their recommendation for how much to take, as many people in the general public are low in vitamin D.
Choline
Choline has been shown to improve pregnancy outcomes such as pre-eclampsia, and helps support the proper development of baby's brain and spinal cord, and brain function. While most prenatal vitamins have little to no choline, it's important to eat foods high in choline such as beef, salmon, egg yolks, broccoli, and navy beans.
DHA
DHA is an essential omega-3 fatty acid that helps support baby's vision, brain, and nervous system. Studies also show that DHA can improve egg quality, and increase a woman's chances of natural conception. While available in some prenatals, many women often need a separate supplement. You can also get DHA through a diet high in sardines, anchovies, wild-caught salmon, and egg yolks.
When Should I Start Taking a Prenatal Vitamin?
As soon as possible! Starting a prenatal vitamin at least 3 months before conception helps promote optimal egg health, helps support a healthy environment for a new pregnancy, and supports an embryo at the critical stages of growth and development. At just 6 weeks (when most women are just finding out they're pregnant) the baby's neural tube, which the brain and spinal cord will develop from, has formed, and the heart and other organs are already forming. If you can start a prenatal vitamin before conception, you're a step ahead of the game in helping your new baby grow and develop well!
How Long Should I Take a Prenatal Vitamin?
You should take a prenatal vitamin everyday throughout your entire pregnancy, as well as into the postpartum period. Postpartum women, especially those who are breastfeeding, should consider continuing to take a prenatal vitamin until their baby turns a year old, or until they stop breastfeeding. The nutrition not only passes to baby and continues to support proper growth and development, like brain health and visual acuity, but it's also beneficial for the mother. A prenatal vitamin helps replenish the iron that may have been lost during birth and the postpartum period, and is recommended for all postpartum women for the first three months after delivery. Some studies also suggest that taking a prenatal vitamin in the postpartum period has a protective effect against postpartum depression.
If you have a hard time remembering to take your prenatal every day, think about placing a recurring reminder on your phone, or placing them somewhere you'll see, like your nightstand. If you have young kids or curious pets in your house, please keep them up high and out of reach.
Other Tips for Choosing a Prenatal
If you're overall healthy, I recommend taking a whole foods vitamin, meaning that instead of vitamins created synthetically in a lab, all of the vitamins and minerals are extracted from fruits and vegetables, and are more readily absorbed by the body in this form. Because multiple fruits and vegetables are used to make these vitamins, look at all of the ingredients and make sure you don't have any allergies. I like Garden of Life as it's whole foods, organic, and contains ginger which helps some women fight off morning sickness. Speaking of which, if you're struggling with morning sickness, and having trouble keeping your vitamins down, taking them at night right before bed will likely help!
If you have a condition that requires high amounts of vitamins or multiple food allergies, a traditional vitamin may be better suited for you. You can talk with your healthcare provider about their recommendation. If you've already purchased a vitamin, take the bottle in with you at your next visit and ask them to take a look at it.
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