PRE-NATAL VITAMINS : Are they essential?

Both of you are absolutely thrilled to hear that acord formation (spina bifida) very early in pregnancy.
cherubic little bundle of joy is to arrive in your life!Intake should be continued throughout pregnancy to
Suddenly there is this rush of happiness, a sense ofensure that you and your baby are getting the optimal
completeness, and a sense of excitement! Yes! Youramount of vitamins and minerals.
wife is expecting her first child!ü Interestingly, being on a vitamin before
There is also this sense of immense responsibility forbecoming pregnant may diminish morning sickness.
both of you not only with regards to bringing up theü Folic acid is added to many breads and pastas,
child but all the so-called "PRE-NATAL HASSLES" thatand is naturally found in many dark green or orange
would have to be taken care of minutely.fruits and vegetables. Studies have found that taking a
As a 'NEW LIFE' is taking form within your wife's body,daily supplement offers more of the protective effect
a 'SEA OF BIOLOGICAL CHANGES' will also occurthan getting the same amount in the form of food.
inside her! As a result she has to deal with myriadTherefore, every pregnant woman who eats a
signs and symptoms that might throw her completelyhealthy diet may benefit from a supplement.
'off the track'! Thus both her physical and mental profileü The downside to vitamin supplementation-
will undergo enormous variations and fluctuations. SoIt's not recommended to take more than one
the next nine months she needs a lot of extra caremultivitamin a day. For example, there is some
and affection to deal with all such changes.evidence that birth defects are more common among
An important aspect of pre-natal care is the 'DIET' ofbabies exposed to large doses of vitamin A.
the expectant mother. She should remember thatü Pre-natal vitamins should be taken only as
she's not only feeding herself but also another 'littleprescribed or recommended by the doctor.
being' who needs extra nourishment for proper growthOver-dosage may prove seriously fatal for the fetus.
and development. So the diet must essentially includeü Pre-natal vitamins administered need to
the right amount of carbohydrates, proteins, fats,dissolve in the stomach quickly enough so that each of
minerals, salts, water and vitamins. If there is a dearththe essential nutrients especially folic acid contained in
of or absence of either one of the above mentionedthem can be absorbed by the body or else the baby
dietary nutrients then the development of the growingand the mother may not get the protection they are
fetus will be severely hampered. You have to keepcounting on. In such a case the doctor should be
yourself and the baby 'WELL-NOURISHED'!consulted who might suggest a different vitamin.
VITAMINS are referred to as the 'PROTECTIVEü In addition to achieving significant protection
PRINCIPLES OF FOOD' biologically and their mainagainst birth defects, women who take folic acid
function is to make the body disease-resistant as wellsupplements during pregnancy have been reported to
as control the overall growth and development of thehave fewer infections, and to give birth to babies with
body. So one can understand that vitamins arehigher birth weights and better Apgar scores. (An
essential!Apgar score is an evaluation of the well being of a
Pre-natal vitamins are a hot topic these days.newborn, based on his or her color, crying, muscle tone,
Everyone is touting the benefits of using them prior toand other signs.)
getting pregnant to help prevent certain birth defectsü Expectant mothers who smoke are likely to
and continuing them during pregnancy andtake more of these vitamins thinking that the vitamins
breastfeeding for continued protection from nutritionwill negate the effects of smoking on their child. This is
deficiencies. Some important aspects about thesea total myth! The best thing is 'no smoking during
vitamins:pregnancy'.
ü The goal of prenatal vitamins is to supplementAfter looking at the several aspects of pre-natal
your diet not to replace it. Prenatal vitamins workvitamins as mentioned above, one has to conclude
better when you are eating a healthy diet that includesthat they are absolutely essential for maternal well
a variety of foods.being during pregnancy.
ü Prenatal vitamin supplements cannot make upThus, with "a pre-natal vitamin supplement you have
for poor eating habits.the best chance of ensuring a happy and healthy
ü Prenatal vitamins should be taken before youpregnancy! Just be careful in selecting a proper one
become pregnant as the folic acid in the vitamin helpsthat suits you.
to prevent neural tube defects i.e. defects in spinal