Gynecology And Obstetrics-

Food supplements in pregnancy

introduction

Dietary supplements are a big issue during pregnancy. The expectant mothers are concerned and want to provide their unborn child with all the important nutrients possible.
The range of dietary supplements is huge, but not all of them are suitable or advisable for pregnancy. In fact, there are only a handful of dietary supplements that are really sensible and desirable to take during pregnancy. Everything else is normally absorbed through the diet.

Indications for nutritional supplements during pregnancy

Especially with the first pregnancy, many women do not want to go wrong and consciously eat healthier in order to meet the increased need for nutrients, vitamins and minerals.
The question often arises as to whether a dietary supplement makes sense during pregnancy. There is no general answer to this question, as it depends very much on the diet, the general condition and the respective pregnant woman.

However, there are some cases in which a nutritional deficiency is very likely during pregnancy, so that a dietary supplement makes sense:

Multiple pregnancies that require enough nutrients for 3 or more people. The pregnant woman usually does not manage to meet the additional requirements purely through diet.
Underweight women usually already have a manifest nutritional deficiency before pregnancy, so a dietary supplement is particularly useful for them. The same applies to chronically ill or alcohol-dependent women.
Women smokers are also at an increased risk of nutritional deficiency and should therefore be monitored.
Women who live a certain lifestyle (e.g. vegetarians or vegans) or who have a food intolerance should at least monitor their nutrient balance more closely during pregnancy.

It follows that a dietary supplement makes perfect sense, especially if the pregnant woman belongs to a risk group. In these cases, the gynecologist should determine which nutrients should be supplemented in which dosage.

Also find out about: These foods should be avoided during pregnancy

When is dietary supplement superfluous during pregnancy?

Food supplements during pregnancy make no sense if there is no specific deficiency in vitamins, minerals or nutrients.
A healthy organism normally adapts to the special circumstances during pregnancy, so that, for example, the rate of absorption of certain nutrients in the intestine is automatically increased during pregnancy.

Many women want the best for their unborn child, but the body usually excretes the excess nutrients unused.
If the wrong nutrients are supplemented, this can possibly even have harmful effects on the pregnant woman and the unborn child, this is the case, for example, with vitamin A, which in too high doses can cause malformations in the child.

It is often difficult for pregnant women to keep track of the multitude of dietary supplements on offer. However, the fact is that in most cases no or only a few nutrients supplementation makes sense. This should then best be clarified with the gynecologist in order to dispel any doubts and to ensure that mother and child are optimally cared for.

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Which dietary supplements are useful?

Basically, those dietary supplements are useful that the pregnant woman lacks. Iodine and folic acid supplementation is recommended for all women. In addition to these, there are also other useful additions if a deficiency is imminent or already exists.

Iodine: The hormonal change increases the need for iodine, which is essential for the functioning of the thyroid gland (be careful with women who are already taking thyroid medication). Since most women generally do not have a sufficient supply of iodine, dietary supplements are recommended during pregnancy.
Folic acid: In general, 400µg folate should be consumed daily, even 600µg for pregnant women. As this amount is usually not nearly reached, dietary supplements are urgently recommended before and during pregnancy.
Omega 3 fatty acids: These are mainly found in marine fish and vegetable oils and influence important development processes. So far there are no specific recommendations for dietary supplements, but numerous positive effects have been confirmed.
Iron: Many women already suffer from a slight iron deficiency even without an existing pregnancy. The need for iron increases even more during pregnancy. However, supplementation is not always recommended and is determined individually by the doctor.
Vitamins, calcium and magnesium are also not a standard dietary supplement during pregnancy. Here, too, the gynecologist decides on a case-by-case basis which supplementation makes sense.

also read:

Iron Deficiency During Pregnancy
You can recognize a magnesium deficiency by these symptoms

iodine

Every pregnant woman should be offered an iodine substitution. The daily requirement of iodine is around 250 micrograms.
An average of 100 to 200 micrograms is ingested through diet. The missing amount of iodine can and should be taken with dietary supplements. This is also recommended by the WHO. Pregnant women with thyroid disease should seek advice from their doctor before taking any dietary supplement. The reason for the higher need for iodine is the higher basal metabolic rate, which a pregnant woman naturally has. As a result, there is also an increased excretion of iodine, which can lead to an underactive thyroid in mother and child.

Folic acid

Folic acid is one of the recommended dietary supplements during pregnancy. The recommended dose is around 400 micrograms a day.
In the best case scenario, folic acid supplements should not be taken at the beginning of pregnancy, but a few weeks in advance. In this way, the body can fill up the stores before fertilization. There are no known side effects of prolonged use of folic acid.

Read more on the topic: Folic Acid During Pregnancy

The increased need for folic acid is the reason for the increased cell division that follows fertilization. If the level of folic acid is insufficient, the risk that the child may suffer from a so-called neural tube defect increases. The neural tube is part of the central nervous system. If there is only an incomplete closure of this tube, one speaks of a neural tube defect. It represents the most common malformation of the central nervous system. The defect can appear as spina bifida in some cases without any major symptoms. However, there are also forms of neural tube defects that are not compatible with life.

iron

Iron supplements during pregnancy are not universally recommended. Rather, iron should be taken if the doctor has found a deficiency or a low level of iron storage.
Iron is needed during pregnancy due to the increased blood formation. An iron deficiency during pregnancy leads to anemia in both the mother and the child and can impair the function of the placenta. The recommendation for pregnant women without iron reserves is an intake of 120 to 240 mg iron per day.

Also read our topic: Iron Deficiency During Pregnancy

Docosahexaenoic acid (DHA)

The intake of docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which is one of the omega-3 fatty acids, can be useful for some pregnant women. A daily intake of 200 micrograms is recommended.
This can also be achieved by consuming high-fat sea fish twice a week. If no fish is eaten, the Federal Center for Nutrition recommends substitution with DHA. DHA is especially important in the second half of pregnancy. It plays a role in the development of the brain and eyes. DHA is contained in the combination preparations for pregnant women Fembion® 2 and 3, together with other important food supplements such as folic acid.

How Much Supplements Should You Take?

During pregnancy, it is recommended to take 400 micrograms of folic acid and about 100 to 150 micrograms of iodine per day. Many manufacturers also offer combination products. With the preparations you should pay attention to further additives and ensure that the recommended daily doses of folic acid and iodine are not exceeded or only slightly exceeded.

Iron should only be taken as a dietary supplement if the doctor has diagnosed an iron deficiency or if there is a previous history of iron deficiency. Furthermore, in some cases it is recommended to consume approx. 200 micrograms docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) during pregnancy. This amount can also be achieved with regular consumption of fish.

In general, you should not take any dietary supplements that significantly exceed the recommended daily dose. The principle “a lot helps a lot” is suggested by some manufacturers, but has no meaning in pregnancy. In addition to folic acid, iodine and, in justified cases, iron, it is not recommended to take other vitamins or minerals, such as vitamin A or D, as dietary supplements. These can be sufficiently consumed with a balanced diet.

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Diet in Pregnancy
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Dietary supplement for vegan pregnant women

The study situation for a vegan diet during pregnancy is so far limited. Nevertheless, it is not advised against eating a vegan diet during pregnancy; some research institutes even see positive aspects in this for mother and unborn child.

However, with the vegan diet there is always the risk that the necessary intake of certain nutrients will be below average. Basically, the risk of suffering from a nutritional deficiency is increased. Especially during pregnancy, when more nutrients are needed than usual, the nutrient intake should therefore be checked regularly.

As a rule, this additional need for nutrients begins in the 3rd or 4th month of pregnancy, when the child begins to grow faster. In the initial phase, it is mainly folate that the pregnant woman should consume. In the case of a vegan diet, it is also known that a sufficient supply of vitamins B, B12, D and the trace elements iron, calcium, zinc and iodine should be ensured.

It is therefore important, especially during pregnancy, to regularly check the levels of these nutrients and to ensure that you consume sufficient quantities of them when eating.
Many vegan women seek advice from a nutritionist and gynecologist at the beginning of their pregnancy so that they can prepare an appropriate nutrition plan for you. If there are nutrient deficiencies during pregnancy, these should be compensated for with the right supplements.

Learn more at:

Vegan diet during pregnancy
Vitamin B 12 deficiency

Femibion®

Femibion® is a manufacturer of various products that are offered as nutritional supplements during pregnancy.
The products are tailored to the different phases of pregnancy. The first product to be offered is called Femibion® BabyPlanung. So it should be taken when you want to have children. Femibion BabyPlanung contains twice the recommended daily intake of folic acid and the recommended amount of iodine. It also contains a number of vitamins, such as vitamins B2, B6 and B12. It is noticeable that vitamin D3 is present in an amount four times the recommended daily dose. Such a substitution is not necessary with a normal diet, but only with a vegan diet in the winter months.

The next product in the series has been specially developed for early pregnancy up to the 12th week of pregnancy (Femibion® 1). It even contains four times the recommended daily amount of folic acid and also the recommended amount of iodine. Compared to Femibion BabyPlanung, Femibion 1 contains other vitamin supplements such as vitamin E and C. The third product from Femibion® is called Femibion® 2 and should be taken from the 13th week of pregnancy. The amount of folic acid was reduced again. For this, many vitamins are available in higher quantities than the recommended daily dose. Femibion products are also available without iodine for women who are not allowed to consume iodine due to thyroid diseases.

Would you like to know more about this topic? Read our next article below: Femibion®

Orthomol natal

Orthomol natal is a dietary supplement that is offered for those wishing to have children, for pregnancy and for breastfeeding.
It is available in two dosage forms. On the one hand as granules with capsules or as tablets with capsules and a separate iodine tablet. All components of a daily blister are taken together. Ortomol natal contains 2.5 times the recommended dose of folic acid and 150 micrograms of iodine, which corresponds to the recommendation.
The preparation also contains DHA and another omega-3 fatty acid. In addition to folic acid, Orthomol natal contains many other vitamins (e.g. vitamins D, E, K, C, B1, B6 or B12). Sometimes the amount of vitamin contained exceeds three times the daily dose. What is special about Orthomol natal is that the preparation contains many trace elements such as calcium, magnesium, iron, zinc, copper, selenium, molybdenum and chromium. There is currently no general recommendation for all of these trace elements during pregnancy. Finally, lactic acid bacteria cultures are also contained in Orthomol natal

Risks and side effects of nutritional supplements in pregnancy

Nutritional supplementation during pregnancy is a big issue.
Due to the large number of food supplements advertised and offered, it is not always obvious for pregnant women to find the right product. Many of the preparations are superfluous, some can even harm the child or mother, so it is extremely important that the pregnant woman get precise advice before taking food supplements and, if necessary, also consult a nutritionist in order to minimize the risk of adverse effects .
If the recommended supplements iodine and folic acid are taken correctly, no side effects are known during pregnancy. It looks different with vitamin preparations. Vitamins E and A, in particular, can harm the unborn child or cause the mother to rupture at an early stage or cause abdominal pain. Other food supplements such as Iron can cause stomach pain and constipation.

Due to the large number of side effects associated with the various dietary supplements, it is difficult for laypeople to find the right one. However, it is also a fact that many of the dietary supplements are not needed during pregnancy, as they are automatically absorbed through a balanced diet. In order to reduce the dangers and side effects, pregnant women should therefore not look for food supplements indiscriminately and on their own.

Read on under: Proper nutrition during pregnancy