16 Jul Prepare Yourself for Pregnancy With a Prenatal Supplement
Taking a prenatal supplement won’t improve your chance of getting pregnant, but it can help your body prepare by getting healthy. These supplements contain important nutrients that your body needs in order to have a healthy pregnancy.
When to Take Prenatal Supplements
Don’t wait until you’re already pregnant to take these supplements. You should start taking prenatal supplements when you begin trying to conceive. Doing so can help ensure that your baby has the nutrients needed for proper development. Keep in mind that you might not know that you’re pregnant until weeks after conception occurs. When you take a prenatal supplement, you can rest assured that your baby has had plenty of nutrients that are crucial for development.
What Do Prenatal Vitamins Contain?
Prenatal supplements provide your body with higher amounts of certain nutrients that regular supplements don’t have. These nutrients include folic acid and iron. Folic acid helps lower the risk of birth defects in babies, such as neural tube defects that affect the spinal cord and brain. It is recommended that women of reproductive age take 400 mcg of folic acid every day. Iron is required for healthy growth and development in babies. These supplements also have higher amounts of calcium, which your baby needs for strong and healthy bones. Keep in mind that plenty of calcium (1200-1400 mg per day) is also important for you, since your baby will be pulling from your body’s supply of this nutrient for development.
Remember that it’s also important to follow a healthy diet before and during pregnancy. Eating healthy can help improve your chance of conceiving by ensuring that your body is in good condition.
For more information about prenatal supplements and other fertility topics, contact the Fertility Center of Dallas, J. Michael Putman, M.D. or call us at 214-496-5153.