Pregnancy is a time of higher nutritional intake and supplementation maybe needed to support you and your baby
Some common question have come up in the clinic recently about the use of supplements during pregnancy. Here are the two most common Calcium and Iron
Should I Take a Calcium Supplement During Pregnancy?
If you have trouble consuming enough calcium-rich foods in your daily meal plan, talk about taking a calcium supplement. The amount of calcium you will need from a supplement depends on how much calcium you are consuming through food sources.
Calcium supplements may complement an already healthy diet. Many multiple vitamin supplements contain little or no calcium; therefore, you will need an additional calcium supplement. Make sure you read the label correctly to establish whether a calcium supplement is for you
Why Do I Need More Iron During Pregnancy?
Iron is a mineral that makes up an important part of hemoglobin, the substance in blood that carries oxygen throughout the body. Iron also carries oxygen in muscles, helping them function properly. Iron helps increase your resistance to stress and disease.
The body absorbs iron more efficiently during pregnancy; therefore it is important to consume more iron while you are pregnant to ensure that you and your baby are getting enough oxygen. Iron will also help you avoid symptoms of tiredness, weakness, irritability, and depression.
Following a balanced diet and including foods high in iron can help ensure that you are consuming enough iron throughout your pregnancy. In addition, the following guidelines will help:
- The U.S. RDA for iron is 27 mg per day for pregnant women and 15 mg for breastfeeding women.
- Eating at least three servings of iron-rich foods a day will help ensure that you are getting 30 mg of iron in your daily diet. One of the best ways to get iron from your diet is to consume a highly fortified breakfast cereal such as Total, which has 18 mg of iron. Note that iron intake is not equal to iron absorption. Absorption of iron into the body is greatest with meat sources of iron such as liver.
- The best sources of iron include enriched grain products, lean meat, poultry, fish, and leafy green vegetables.
What Are Good Sources of Iron?
- Meat and Seafood: Lean beef, chicken, clams, crab, egg yolk, fish, lamb, liver, oysters, pork, sardines, shrimp, turkey, and veal.
- Vegetables: Black-eyed peas, broccoli, Brussel sprouts, collard and turnip greens, lima beans, sweet potatoes, and spinach.
- Legumes: Dry beans and peas, lentils, and soybeans.
- Fruits: All berries, apricots, dried fruits, including prunes, raisins and apricots, grapes, grapefruit, oranges, plums, prune juice, and watermelon.
- Breads and Cereals: Enriched rice and pasta, soft pretzel, and whole grain and enriched or fortified breads and cereals.
- Other Foods: Molasses, peanuts, pine nuts, pumpkin, or squash seeds.
Should I Take an Iron Supplement During Pregnancy?
You may need to have a blood test to determine if your iron levels are high enough. The National Academy of Sciences recommends that all pregnant women following a balanced diet take an iron supplement providing 27 mg of iron during all trimesters of pregnancy (that’s the amount in most prenatal vitamins). This may increase if you become anemic. Iron deficiency anemia is a condition in which the size and number of red blood cells are reduced. This condition may result from inadequate intake of iron or from blood loss. Iron supplements are often combined with folate which is another nutritional supplement that pregnant women need to take to reduce the risks of neural tube defects such as spina bifida.
Other Facts About Iron
- Vitamin C helps your body use iron. It is important to include sources of vitamin C along with foods containing iron and iron supplements.
- Caffeine can inhibit the absorption of iron. Try to consume iron supplements and foods high in iron at least one to three hours before or after drinking or eating foods containing caffeine.
- Iron is lost in cooking some foods. To retain iron, cook foods in a minimal amount of water and for the shortest possible time. Also, cooking in cast iron pots can add iron to foods.
- Constipation is a common side effect of taking iron supplements. To help relieve constipation, slowly increase the fiber in your diet by including whole grain breads, cereals, fruits, and vegetables. Drinking at least eight cups of fluids daily and increasing moderate exercise can also help you avoid constipation.
