Prenatal Nutrition Facts

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Nutrient and energy requirements differ during pregnancy from woman to woman.

PRENATAL NUTRITION FAQS:

Approximately 20-30% of women are deficient in a vitamin during pregnancy.
Vitamins and minerals, including B vitamins, magnesium and zinc, are involved in the metabolism of carbohydrates, fats and proteins, and their deficiencies are associated with impaired fetal growth and development.
Vegetarian diets often provide insufficient levels of vitamin B12, which may result in impaired red blood cell formation.
Maternal iron levels affect iron stores in the developing fetus, and are necessary for the production of hemoglobin; Prenatal vitamns help to prevent iron deficiency anemia.
Calcium demands also increase during pregnancy, leading to enhanced calcium absorption from the intestine and mobilization from bones.
Vitamin D helps absorb and use calcium and phosphorus for normal bone mineralization. Deficiency of vitamin D during pregnancy may lead to impaired fetal bone development or osteomalacia, although 600 IU of vitamin D daily helps maximize bone health in pregnant adults.
Daily supplementation with 800 mcg of folic acid in the first trimester may help reduce the risk of neural tube defects by nearly 70%.