Taking a daily pregnancy supplement is such an easy way to give you and your growing baby the best start on your pregnancy journey.
Having a healthy balanced diet is certainly very helpful in ensuring your body is getting lots of great vitamins and minerals. However there are a few supplements we suggest all pregnant women take.
The supplements we recommend are vital in supporting your baby’s growth and development.
The top supplements we like our patients to take are:
- Folic Acid which reduces the likelihood of your baby developing a neural tube defect such as spina bifida. Folic Acid is obtained from dietary sources such as leafy greens and cereals, but diet alone may not provide sufficient amounts of folic acid so it is recommend that women take a supplement 1 month prior to falling pregnant and for the first trimester.
- Iodine which supports your baby’s brain and nervous system development. This supplement is ideally started 3 months prior to becoming pregnant and continued.
- Omega 3 (also known as DHA or fish oil) reduces the risk of your baby being born prematurely. Omega 3 is found naturally in fish but it would be difficult to gain the recommended amount of Omega 3 from diet alone. The advice for pregnant women expecting a single baby is to consume daily fish oil supplements containing at least 500mg of DHA, starting at 12 weeks of pregnancy.
As part of your routine blood tests during pregnancy, we may check your vitamin B12, iron and vitamin D levels, and advise you of any supplements that you may need to take to compensate or address any deficiency.
A final tip is to be mindful of which supplement you buy as it needs to have the recommended dose for pregnancy!
Follow this link to read more about supplements