Pregnancy is associated with a number of radical body changes, the increased need for nutrients and the creation of a new life. Proper nutrition in this context is meant to provide support for the mother's body as well as that of the growing foetus. While proper nutrition particularly during pregnancy is encouraged, many women opt for multivitamin supplements during this period to help replenish the nutritional deficits. In this article, we examine the significance of vitamins and their supplements during pregnancy and in achieving a healthy pregnancy.
Vitamins and Mineral Supplements During Pregnancy
As is in the case of several women, meeting the increased nutrient needs of pregnancies may not be possible through a health pregnancy guide alone. Prenatal vitamins refer to the supplementary vitamins and minerals available in excess because of the need at this stage of life. Prenatal vitamins help to supply not only such vital nutrients as folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin D, but also other nutrients such as:
Omega-3 Fatty Acids: They are especially DHA that supports the growing fetus’s and fetal retina. These fatty acids aid in memory and reduce risk of premature birth.
Iodine: Iodine deficiency includes the ability of the thyroid gland, which, among other functions, also regulates metabolism and promotes the growth of the brain in infants.
Vitamin B12: Assists in the formation of red blood cells and DNA which contributes to preventing anemia and enhancing a healthy pregnancy.
Read also: List of Most Important Vitamins During Pregnancy
The Role of Vitamins in Pregnancy Wellness
Pregnancy increases the nutritional demand of the body; for the mother and for the developing infant.
Folic Acid: As the baby's neural tube starts to develop, this can cake as the most important vitamin during the first trimester. As a result, abnormal formation of the child’s neural tube leads to such malformations as spina bifida, which low concentration of folic acid can cause. It is advised to all expectant mothers to include a minimum of 400 micrograms of Folic Acid, before or during the course of their pregnancy.
Iron: Iron helps in getting the heightened blood volume which is needed for the period of pregnancy. In severe cases, shortage of iron in the body will lead to inactivity and may even increase the odds of having a low-birth-weight baby due to high chances of premature births.
Calcium: Calcium is necessary for the proper formation of the child’s bones and teeth. In the absence of the required amount of calcium from the diet of a mother, calcium may be mobilized from her bones and this may lead to bone problems in future.
Vitamin D: This vitamin is very important in building bones and the immunity of the baby. It also makes sure that calcium is properly absorbed and utilized in the body.
Read also: Benefits of Vitamin D in Pregnancy
Benefits of Multivitamin Supplements for Pregnancy
Lastly, vitamins during pregnancy stand out as an important preventive measure to assist in the adequate nutrition of a mother and, in effect, ensure that her baby grows optimally.
Reducing the Risk of Defects: Folic acid is an important nutrient to individuals in their childbearing years as it tends to lessen the risk of having neural tube defects.
Preventing Anemia: Iron in supplements has to be included given that it is one of the supplements that treat anemia, which is common to encounter when one is pregnant, thus wearing out possible risks of effects like birth of low weight babies, premature births.
Assisting in Bone Growth and Increase: Vitamin D and calcium act in conjunction to aid in the growth of the baby’s bones as well as skeletal structure and also conserve the mother’s bone mass.
Boosting of Brain Development: The omega-3 oils and iodine are indispensable towards the adequate brain development of the fetus thereby sharpening the concentration of the child and reducing the chances of developmental delays.
Stem Cell Banking
Besides taking the multivitamins, an additional factor that most parents today wish to look into concerning pregnancy health is the preservation of stem cells. Through cord blood banking, families are able to preserve those stem cells from their newborns in hope that these cells may be used in further treatments of different diseases including those blood diseases as well as some cancers in the future. The option of stem cell storage is a unique opportunity to take a proactive approach such that issues pertaining to health that might arise in the future are taken care of without any proliferation.
Conclusion
It is emphasized that nutrition should be properly offered during the whole pregnancy period while the multivitamin supplements recommended ensure that mothers are adequately nourished as well as their infants during the period of pregnancy. Growing baby needs some core vitamins for its healthy growth such as folic acid, iron, calcium and vitamin D amongst others while other supplements like omega-3 fatty acids and iodine offer additional benefits to normal and bone growths.
In addition to keeping good pregnancy health, it is necessary for every parent to feel it is time to prepare for the future. Cryoviva provides parents with stem cell storage technology which is easy to use and helps parents to save the option of stem cells. There is now hope for parents that unexpected health complications in a child will not be a source of worry in the future for stem cells’ ability to regenerate tissues in the body.