Best Supplements to Take During Pregnancy

To ensure the optimal chance of having a healthy pregnancy and ideal nourishment for the baby’s growth and development, it is important to have a carefully monitored diet. It is vital to have a balanced intake of nutrients from food sources and additional supplements. You may be wondering what are the essential nutrients to take during pregnancy?

Iron

During pregnancy, your body’s demands for iron increases. Yet low iron levels and iron deficiency anemia remains a common condition in pregnancy in the western world as well as in developing countries. 

Several research groups have examined the effect of maternal nutrition in a series of settings such as developed countries, developing countries and regions defined as food deserts. These specialist groups investigated the relationship between dietary intake and the consequent effects on foetal and infant development.  Their findings report that iron and iron deficiency anaemia are one of the most common.  

A blood test around conception is a good indicator of mum-to-be iron stores and the risk of iron deficiency anaemia. Subsequently, many healthcare professionals insist on testing iron status in the early stages of pregnancy.  In fact, a prospective mother-baby paired study showed that 91.31% of infants born to mothers with low iron status too had low iron status and were diagnosed with classical iron deficiency anaemia, which may have important developmental repercussions.  

Nevertheless, there is hope, as although iron deficiency anaemia is associated with low birth weight babies, there is also evidence of rescued development should iron supplementation occur during the pregnancy that normalises the maternal iron status.  

If you are interested in taking Iron supplements, then check out Viridian's Pregnancy Complex.

Folic Acid

 Folic acid is possibly the most recognised prenatal nutrient, due to increased awareness of its role in foetal health. A member of the B-vitamins, folic acid (folate) is necessary to promote cognitive and neurodevelopment of the foetus. Folic acid is the synthetic form of folate, which is found in fortified foods and supplements. Over twenty years of compelling research shows that folic acid supplementation reduces the prevalence of neural tube birth defects, such as spina bifida.

It is recommended to take a supplemental dose of 400 ug folic acid per day, three months before conception, and until you are 12 weeks pregnant. Women with a higher risk of having a child with neural tube defects should take a higher dose of folic acid, as instructed by their GP.

If you are interested in taking Folic Acid supplements, then check out Viridian's Pregnancy Complex. Award-winning Pregnancy Complex from Viridian Nutrition is a specially formulated vitamin supplement with a combination of 27 essential nutrients designed to support the way your body naturally works during pregnancy. 

It contains 100% active ingredients providing the vitamin and mineral nutritional building blocks for mother and baby and includes 400mcg of folic acid (a form of vitamin B) which is the recommended daily amount of this pregnancy vitamin to support foetal development. Supplemental folic acid intake increases maternal folate status to help support normal brain and spinal development of children. Folate (folic acid) also contributes to maternal tissue growth during pregnancy. 

Additionally, Pregnancy Complex vitamin supplement contains researched levels of iron to contribute to cognitive development, iodine which contributes to the normal growth of children as well as calcium and vitamin D which are needed for the normal growth and development of bone in children. Vitamin C is present to support the immune system and vitamin A is included the form of beta carotene meaning the body produces only the amount of vitamin A required.

With no artificial additives, binders or fillers, Viridian Pregnancy Complex contains only active ingredients of vitamins and minerals to help support a healthy pregnancy and postnatal period. Suitable to take in trimesters 1,2 and 3 as well as after birth when breastfeeding. Pregnancy Complex provides vitamins and minerals which work in conjunction with your natural body rhythm and a healthy diet and lifestyle. Pregnancy Complex is not a substitute for a varied diet.

DHA

Around 60% of the brain is structural fat. Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) is an integral omega-3 fatty acid in pregnancy, as it is essential for foetal brain, nervous system and eye development. DHA is found in abundance in oily fish. However, as pregnant women must exercise caution with fish intake, you may wish to opt for a supplemental DHA for the duration of your pregnancy. DHA supplementation is of particular importance during the final trimester, as the foetal brain accumulates around 50-70mg of DHA per day. An omega-3 fatty acid- docosahexaenoic acid essential for baby brain and eye development. If you are interested in taking DHA supplements, then check out Wiley's Prenatal DHA. 

For additional information on Nutrition for A Healthy Pregnancy follow this link.