Prenatal Vitamin

It is now a known fact that pregnant women are healthier and bear healthier babies as well, if they take prenatal vitamins as soon as they try to conceive.  These prenatal vitamins help them in preparing their bodies for better fetal growth and development.  Among the essential nutrients that should be contained in prenatal vitamins, which is very vital to the health of a gestating mom and her baby, are iron and zinc. Iron, whether contained in prenatal vitamins or in foods, is a component of proteins involved in the transport of oxygen throughout the body through aiding in the production of hemoglobin.  Iron is also needed in the regulation of the growth and differentiation of body cells.  Because of its importance in body processes, iron is very much needed by pregnant mothers and should be taken through a healthy diet  rich with protein and through prenatal vitamins.   

The intake of prenatal vitamins containing iron is very important because the amount of blood in pregnant women expands to 50 percent more than those who are not.  This means that more hemoglobin should be produced to make up for the processes of these additional blood.  Beef, pork, grains fortified with iron, spinach, wheat germ, dried beans and fruits and oatmeal are those iron-rich foods that must be taken along with prenatal vitamins for a healthier pregnancy.  The intake of the proper amount of iron daily through prenatal vitamins helps in avoiding anemia and premature delivery for moms and low birth weight for the babies.  Aside from iron, zinc should also be among the essential nutrients in prenatal vitamins.  Doctors don’t normally recommend zinc to pregnant women but it has been found out that zinc in prenatal vitamins also helps in the growth and development of a child starting at his conception.  Zinc is an important mineral found in body cells and its is important in supporting an immune system that is healthy.  It also facilitates the faster healing of wounds and known to help in maintaining your senses of tasting and smelling.  This makes zinc as a very important component of prenatal vitamins.   A gestating mom should get 11 milligrams of zinc daily either through eating foods rich with the mineral or through taking in prenatal vitamins.  Zinc is found in a lot of foods and these include oysters, poultry, red meat, beans, whole grains and beans.  They are also contained in dairy products and fortified cereals. Discover more about folic acid and calcium.