Why Prenatal Vitamins Are Beneficial For Your Baby?

Are you planning to have a child? This requires a lot of decision making. Often, many parents may consider diet changes and adding on supplements. Prenatal vitamins are thus an important part of the preconception care. This is why it is important that in addition to scheduling an appointment with gynaecologist, you must consider seeing a nutritionist too.

If you are already not taking the prenatal vitamins, then you must consider taking them once you are sure that you are pregnant.

There are many benefits of prenatal vitamins, even when you are not pregnant. Your body undergoes many changes when you are pregnant, this is because your baby relies on your body's natural resources for its growth and development. This can make you experience nausea, fatigue, shifts in mood, weepiness, cognitive impairment, body aches and cramps. Since your baby gets the nutrients directly from you, so you might very easily become nutrients and vitamins deficient, adding on to these symptoms.

As per the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG), here are the most important nutrients you must need:

Folic Acid: this is one of the most important prenatal nutrients, this B vitamin is important as it creates your baby's neural tube. This is the structure that eventually forms brain. As per the US Preventive Services Task Force, folic acid supplements significantly increase the growth of healthy neural tube. The American Academy of Pediatrics also notes that it helps the neural tube to protect from defects by 50%.

Iron: It supplies blood and oxygen to the fetus and also helps build the placenta. It also gives the mother extra blood volume that you need throughout pregnancy. Pregnant people are prone to anemia, this is why iron supplementation is a must.

Calcium: The most time spend in uterus for a baby is invested in building their bones and teeth, this is a Herculean task, and requires the mother to have plenty of calcium. If you don't have enough calcium, then your baby will utilise the calcium from your body, which could lead to temporary bone loss.

Experts say that there are no side effects of the prenatal vitamins. Rather, it has health benefits. While some celebrities swear by prenatal vitamins as the secret to their glowing skin, studies have shown no such benefits. However, besides this, there are extra benefits for instance, taking it with one DHA can boost your omega-3 fatty acids that can also help baby's brain and eyes.

You might also get thyroid-regulating iodine, which can help with your baby's nervous system. Research also shows that these prenatal vitamins help with the chances of pregnancy. However, it is always recommended to go to a doctor before trying anything on your own and get a consultation done with the adequate tests.