A pregnancy specific multi-vitamin will usually provide adequate doses of all supplements for a healthy pregnancy.
***Key Points***
Eating a healthy and varied diet will provide you with most of you vitamins and minerals during pregnancy, however additional recommended supplements have been shown t be beneficial
- Folic Acid
- Iodine
Some women will benefit from supplements of Vitamin B12, D and K as well as Iron, calcium and Omega 3 fatty Acids.
***Key Points***
***Folic Acid***
Folic Acid or Folate
It is recommended that a supplement of folic acid is taken for one to three months before conception and for the first 12 weeks of pregnancy. This is to reduce the to risk of neural tube defects (NTD).
Don’t panic if your pregnancy was unplanned, just start taking folic acid as soon as you know.
For some women at a higher risk of folate deficiency , it may be advised that you continue folate for the whole pregnancy eg twin pregnancy or hymolytic anaemia
How much Folate should I take?
The recommended dose of folic acidis a minimum of 0.5mg
However some women may require higher dose of 0.5mg, for example if they have previously had a child with a NTD.
RANZCOG recommends that you take a higher dose of folate (5mg/day) if you
- Have diabetes
- Have a family history of a baby born with a neural tube defect
- Are taking anti-convulsive mediations
- Have a BMI >30
- Have an absorption issue, such s inflammatory bowel disease or bariatric surgery
What is a neural Tube defect?
***Folic Acid***
***Iodine***
Iodine
Pregnant women need more iodine than usual as there is increased blood flow through the kidneys leading to more clearance of iodine.
In pregnancy (or considering pregnancy) you should take an iodine supplement of at least 150 micrograms/day.
Women with pre-existing thyroid conditions should talk to their care provider about personalized advice regarding iodine supplements
***Iodine***
***Vitamin D***
Vitamin D
RANZCOG updated their recommendation for Vitamin D supplementation in 2019. They recommend that during pregnancy you take 400IU of Vitamin D daily as part of a multivitamin supplement (irrespective of skin pigment and/or sun exposure)
They do not recommend that you are tested for of Vitamin D levels in pregnancy, regardless of individual factors.
***Vitamin D***
***Vitamin B12***
Vitamin B12
If you are a vegetarian or vegan your care provider may rcomemmnd that you take a supplement of B12. The recommended daily intake of Vitamin B12 is 2.6mg/day (2.8mg/day when breastfeeding). This is difficult to get in your diet without eating animal products.
***Vitamin B12***
***Calcium***
Calcium
Getting adequate calcium in your diet is important during pregnancy. We know that calcium is important for your bones but also in reducing the risk of developing pre-eclampsia or your baby being born early.
Should I take a supplement?
Ideally you would get enough calcium in your diet but If you avoid dairy in your diet and do not eat or drink alternative high calcium foods (such as calcium enriched soya milk) then you and your baby may benefit=t from a calcium supplement.
Adequate dietary calcium is important in decreasing the risk of pre-eclampsia for those at higher risk. For these women, if this cannot be achieved by dietary intake, calcium supplements may be useful. As calcium supplementation has been found to have negative effects on vascular health in other population groups, it is preferable that adequate calcium is obtained from whole foods
The Recommended Daily amount of supplementation of calcium during pregnancy is 1,000 mg/day
***Calcium***
***Omega 3***
Omega 3 fatty acids
Omega 3 fatty acids are known to be critically important building blocks for your baby’s developing brain and eye development. Omega 3 may also help reduce the likelihood of your baby being born early. Oily fish is the richest source of Omega 3 fatty acids
the evidence would support that all women consume fish very low in mercury 2-3 times per week. The value of dietary supplementation of fish oil or pregnancy multivitamin supplement containing Omega 3 fatty acids is inconclusive however if you intake of Omega 3 fatty acids is low you may consider taking a supllment of Omega 3 fatty acids.
***Omega 3***
***Probiotics***
Probiotics
Probiotics are live micro-orgaisms consumed to imprve the gastrointestinal health. Current studies are inconclusive to support routine supplementation of probiotics and further studies are required before advice changes.
***Probiotics***
***Vitamin K***
Vitamin K
Vitamin K may be suggested late in your pregnancy if you have diagnosed with cholestasis in pregnancy
***Vitamin K***
