Vitamins In Pregnancy
NATIONAL JOURNAL OF HOMOEOPATHY 1999 May / Jun VOL VIII NO 3.
Extracted from Universal News, Oct 1998
Certain vitamins are vital for a fetus to develop properly and a mother to remain healthy while pregnant. Sometimes they are not prescribed until the second trimester because they contain iron, which can aggravate the nausea of morning sickness. Ultimately, the best source of vitamins is the food you eat.
Vitamins Crucial to a Mother and Her Foetus.
- Vitamin A or beta-carotene - Is vital for the proper development of baby's tooth enamel. Use of mineral oil during pregnancy eg to relieve constipation is inadvisable because it will wash Vit A out of the digestive tract, preventing it from being absorbed and so of no use to the mother or the baby.
Good Sources: Leafy greens, orange fruits and vegetables, livery and other organ meats and whole or fortified milk - Vitamin D: This vitamin is necessary to put dietary calcium to proper use.
Good Sources: Fortified milk, shrimp, salmon, tuna, egg yolks, butter, margarine and liver.
Exposure to the sun enables the skin to metabolize Vit D to its active form. - Vitamin E: Aids in digestion, growth and response to stress
Good Sources: Whole grains, oils- corn, safflower, soybean and margarine - Vitamin K: It plays a role in encouraging blood to clot properly
Good Sources: Green leafy vegetables, beef, pork, tomatoes and cauliflower.
- Vitamin C: Is necessary for the formation of strong cell and blood vessel walls, as well as healthy teeth and bones. Its also important for proper healing of wounds and fractures, and to ensure efficient use of folic acid, iron and Vit A. Stress, illness and smoking increase the body's need for Vit C. Inadequate intake during pregnancy leaves the mother more prone to bruising, nosebleeds and bleeding gums However, its important to NOT take large supplements of Vit C during pregnancy, even if one is used to doing this at other times.
Good Sources: Citrus fruits eg grapefruits, oranges, lemons, limes tangerines, melons, strawberries, red and green peppers, potatoes, brocolli, cabbage, kale, tomatoes and parsley. Minimal cooking of these foods helps preserve Vit C
- B Vitamins: Some of the B Vitamins include folic acid, riboflavin, thiamine, vitamin B6. These vitamins are necessary for cell division and growth of the fetus, and for proper maternal response to stress. One B vitamin in particular - folic acid- can significantly reduce the incidence of neural tube defects, such as spina bifida, if taken in sufficient quantity before conception and for the first 6 weeks of pregnancy. Enriched grains are good sources of B vitamins but often contain only three of them, so one may prescribe a supplement.
Good Sources: Whole grains (whole and cracked wheat, brown rice, rye, wheat germ), organ meats, mushrooms, pork, milk, eggs, green leafy vegetables and peanuts.
Good Sources: Red meat, organ meats, dried fruit, wheat germ, dried beans and molasses.
Zinc: Is necessary for the development of the nervous system of the fetus.
Good Sources: Dried beans, seeds, nuts, whole grains, red meat and eggs.
