 Vitamins
in pregnancy - A, B12, C and D
Everyone knows that they should take their vitamins in order
to stay strong and healthy. But, which vitamins do you need in pregnancy
- and how much is too much?
A normal balanced diet will give you all the vitamin A that you and your
baby need. Too much vitamin A may harm your developing baby. During pregnancy
it is best if you:
- Don’t eat liver, or liver products such as liver pate (liver
may contain a lot of vitamin A due to the type of food the animals have
been fed on)
- Don’t take any fish oil supplements (these may also contain high
levels of vitamin A; better to eat oily fish such as mackerel and sardines)
- Don’t take any vitamin supplement that contains the retinol form
of vitamin A (check the labelling)
There is no need to limit your intake of the carotene form of vitamin
A. This is found in dark green, orange and red vegetables. Carotene is
a valuable antioxidant.
A good intake of vitamin B12 (or cobalamin) is particularly important
during pregnancy - to make new cells (especially blood cells) and build
a healthy nervous system. Vitamin B12 is found in:
- Meat
- Fish
- Eggs
- Milk
- Hard cheese
- Fortified breakfast cereals
- Soya products
Getting enough vitamin B12 can be difficult if you eat a vegan diet with
no animal foods at all. If this is so, it may be a good idea to take a
B12 supplement. Have a word with your pharmacist or family doctor.
The role of Vitamin C in keeping us healthy has been somewhat contentious
recently as recent research has shown that very high doses of vitamin
C (greater than 500mg daily) might actually be doing us more harm than
good.
But, there should be no problems in taking the manufacturers' recommended
dose of Vitamin C during pregnancy, although do not exceed the 500mg without
consulting your doctor. Eating fresh oranges or drinking fresh orange
juice is a good way of taking a safe amount of Vitamin C in your diet
and will also help with the constipation that can affect many women in
pregnancy.
Vitamin D is sometimes called the sunshine vitamin because we can make
it under our skin when exposed to light. Calcium and vitamin D are particularly
important during pregnancy as they help your baby’s bones and teeth
develop. These two nutrients go hand-in-hand, since our bodies need vitamin
D in order to use calcium. Although vitamin D is stored in our bodies,
some pregnant women may not have enough stored to meet both their own
needs and those of their developing baby.
Talk with your family doctor about taking a vitamin D supplement if:
- You drink little or no milk and do not eat other dairy products, oily
fish or eggs
- You do not go out of doors between 11am and 3pm each day (it doesn’t
matter if the sun isn’t shining)
- You usually cover your arms, legs and head when out of doors
- You live in the north of England, Scotland or other places where the
winter days are short
Eating well in pregnancy and afterwards simply means getting the balance
right. If you want to know more, talk to your midwife or doctor or contact
the Eating for Pregnancy UK telephone helpline*. Other useful organisations
include The Eating Disorders Association* (EDA) and the Women’s
Nutritional Advisory Service (WNAS).
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