by Gabrielle Hildebrandt

Created on: August 11, 2009

Why pregnant women should take prenatal vitamins

Why should pregnant women take prenatal vitamins? For the same reason people take multivitamins on a regular basis. For the same reason you'll feed Junior-to-be Flintstones vitamins as he grows up. Vitamins are a way to ensure a person receives all the necessary nutrients each day to lead a healthy life. When a woman is pregnant, it is more important than ever to take prenatal vitamins.

We all know that we're supposed to follow the food pyramid to make sure we eat healthy and balanced meals throughout the day. If you want to learn more about the food pyramid while pregnant or breastfeeding, go to http://www.mypyramid.gov/mypyramidmoms/index.html. But let's face it, how well are any of us going to eat what we need to when all we crave is macaroni-and-cheese and ice cream? As long as you're taking your prenatal vitamin, then you have the peace of mind knowing your baby is getting the right nutrients even when you satiate those less healthful cravings.

Some of the very important nutrients you need while pregnant include calcium, folic acid, iron, and DHA. Even if you don't eat what you need, the baby will do all it can to get everything it needs. Junior will even go as far as sucking what nutrients you have in your body to feeding him. It is very important to get the calcium from your prenatal vitamins; otherwise it will be leached out of your bones. Folic acid reduces the risk of birth defects of the brain and spinal cord. Iron helps blood supply oxygen for mom and baby. It is important to get enough iron because during pregnancy, your blood volume will increase 30-50 percent. DHA is important for healthy brain development both in and after utero. Studies also show that women who get sufficient amounts of DHA during pregnancy have a decreased risk of post-partum depression.

So your doctor gave you a prescription for prenatal vitamins, but you can't stand them and they make you nauseous. Now what? You could talk to your doctor about getting a different prenatal vitamin. If you just can't stomach anything your doctor gives you a prescription for, you could always try an over-the-counter prenatal or simply take a children's multivitamin. The multivitamin your doctor prescribed most likely had DHA in it, but if the over-the-counter variety doesn't then you can also take fish oil.

It is more important than ever for a woman to make sure she gets the proper nutrients while pregnant. There is nothing a parent wants more than a healthy baby, and that starts with taking a prenatal vitamin during pregnancy. Make sure you talk to your doctor about any problems you may have with your vitamins.

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