From that the very first indication that you are expecting a baby, you need to check that your diet is up to scratch. Many experts advise women that are attempting to become pregnant, to begin taking folic acid supplements. This is to ensure that your diet and nutrition intake is supplying your body with the correct nutrients before you even start to attempt and conceive.
Taking folic acid is the only supplement that is recommended by doctors to pregnant women, at least till after the first 12 weeks of pregnancy are complete. Folic acid helps protect against disorders such as spina bifida and other congenital malformations, such as cleft palate, or cleft lip, in the developing infant. It is also crucial for the growth of the baby’s spinal cord and nervous system. As a B vitamin, folic acid is a vital requirement for the body. This is as it’s required for developing the genetic material of cells, DNA. It’s also necessary for growth and development and the maintenance of a healthy nervous system.
Many women will prefer to just take organic food supplements to be able to prevent artificial chemicals. Although most food supplements will not cause any problems, there are a number of conditions where you need to first check with your physician first before taking them. For instance, if a woman is at a greater risk of conceiving a baby with a neural tube defect, she’ll want to have a higher daily dose of folic acid. Similarly, if the mum-to-be suffers from celiac disease, diabetes mellitus, sickle-cell anaemia, or happen to be taking certain medications, then they might want to take the dose also.
Other supplements which could be taken are iron pills, in the event of a threat of anaemia. If you do not have sufficient red blood cells, you are thought of as anaemic, and iron supplements can help construct the red cell production back up.
Vegans and vegetarians are more vulnerable to an iron deficiency because their diet does not consist of red meat. Although there is no medical reason why a vegetarian mum-to-be is very likely to suffer from anaemia, it is worth checking with your GP, as pregnant women do need more iron than usual. Iron helps red blood cells divide and multiply, so your body requires more during periods of rapid growth, such as pregnancy.
