by Amanda Keene

Created on: October 22, 2008   Last Updated: October 28, 2008

"Who should I choose as my doctor?" "Does breastfeeding hurt?" "When should I start taking prenatal vitamins?" "When are my feet going to become so swollen that I can't wear these cute shoes I just bought anymore?" Newly pregnant women or women that are planning to become pregnant face a myriad of questions. While no once can give you an answer on that shoe thing, there is reliable information on the use of prenatal vitamins.

Prenatal vitamins should ideally start being taken a couple of months before you plan to get pregnant, They are different from regular multivitamins due to their higher content of folic acid, iron, and calcium. They normally carry twice as much folic acid and 50 percent more iron, while packing in 1000 milligrams of calcium. All three elements are essential to a healthy pregnancy, both for you and your baby.

It's recommended to start taking prenatal vitamins before you become pregnant due to their high folic acid content. Folic acid is extremely vital in preventing neurological problems in your baby. Since most neurological problems develop within the first 28 days after you become pregnant (which is usually before you ever even know that you're expecting), it's important to take folic acid supplements if you have a chance of becoming pregnant.

Getting enough calcium every day is important to keep both you and your baby healthy. The baby needs calcium in order to form strong bones and teeth, so if you do not take in enough, your body will naturally give what you do get to your baby, resulting in a loss in bone density for yourself. If you don't have a lot of high-calcium foods in your diet, you definitely want to take those prenatal vitamins to protect yourself and your baby.

Since iron is more difficult to get from your daily diet it's essential to get it from your prenatal vitamins. You need iron in order to produce more blood cells to nourish your baby's blood supply and to carry oxygen to him or her. Most of your iron needs are going to come during your second and third trimesters, so you'll need to continue taking your prenatal vitamins throughout your pregnancy.

If you don't begin taking prenatal vitamins before you become pregnant, you should get to your doctor as soon as possible once you are so that he can get you started. It's one of the first things that you can do to take care of your new baby.

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