Nutritional Supplements for Pregnant Women
Posted on September 10, 2007
Filed Under Pregnancy Nutrition |
Nutritional supplements have become a fixed feature of prenatal care in the United States. In its 1990 report, the Institute of Medicine concluded that, except for iron, all nutritional needs of most pregnant women can be met through diet. Since that report, scientists have discovered the importance of folic acid in preventing neural tube defects and a folic acid supplement is now advised.Women in nutritional risk groups may benefit from supplementation. These include women with poor diets or women suffering from substance abuse.
Many midwives and physicians routinely recommend a prenatal supplement for all pregnant women. If you either take an over-the-counter prenatal vitamin or are prescribed a prenatal vitamin, read the label before you take any of the individual supplements discussed in the following sections to make sure you don’t get too much of a particular supplement. If you are unsure, discuss supplementation with your physician or midwife.
Magnesium
Low magnesium levels have been associated with leg cramps, a common complaint in late pregnancy. For women who have leg cramps, increased magnesium may be helpful. Nuts, soybeans, wheat germ, wheat bran, and green vegetables are good sources of magnesium. You could also try a magnesium supplement of 100-250 mg daily. Be careful with magnesium supplementation if you are anemic as it may reduce the absorption of iron. Research is currently under way to determine whether there is a role of magnesium, or of the balance among magnesium, calcium, and phosphorus, in preeclampsia or preterm labor and whether or not these disorders can be prevented nutritionally.
Vitamin B6 (Pyridoxine)
Supplementation with vitamin B6 is not needed in pregnancy, but may have a role in the relief of nausea and vomiting. Supplements of 25 mg taken every 8 hours were found to benefit women with severe nausea and vomiting in at least one study. They did not help women with milder forms of nausea and vomiting.
Zinc
Zinc deficiency has been associated with birth defects in animals, and possibly in humans. Zinc deficiency also has been associated with low birth weight. Studies in which pregnant women were provided with zinc supplements have shown inconsistent benefits, however. To date, zinc supplements are not advised. Foods highest in zinc include seafood, meats, eggs, corn, beets, and peas. Foods with moderate zinc content include carrots and whole wheat bread. Zinc-rich foods should be included in the diet of every pregnant woman. Zinc supplementation may be recommended when high doses of iron are prescribed as the extra iron decreases zinc absorption. The recommended amount during pregnancy is 15 mg.
Tags:folic acid supplement, magnesium supplementation, nausea and vomiting, nutritional supplements, Pregnancy Food Plan, Pregnancy Nutrition, pregnant women, prenatal care, prenatal vitamin, sources of magnesium, vitamin b6, wheat germ zinc
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