| Pregnant women need to know which vitamins offer | | | | her supplies flow to the baby, so it is advised that |
| the best support for their growing baby. Eating | | | | she consume an extra 10mg of the vitamin daily. This |
| everything in sight is not the best way to ensure the | | | | can easily be gotten in many fruits and vegetables so |
| proper development of your fetus into a healthy | | | | take your pick. If you want some more then have |
| baby. Not all foods are nutritious and you need to | | | | an orange or grapefruit. |
| get the right nutrients to support a developing baby | | | | Folate, or folic acid, is critical to a baby's development. |
| in the womb. | | | | Without sufficient amounts, spinal cord defects could |
| The first vitamin on the list is vitamin D. While you | | | | occur. Spina bifida is a terrible condition which can be |
| can get it from pills, you do not want to take in too | | | | prevented with enough folic acid intake by pregnant |
| much because while having enough is critical, having | | | | women. You can get enough folic acid in two glasses |
| too much can lead to birth defects. The best bet is | | | | of orange juice, but it is also high in dairy foods like |
| to eat some oily fish like sardines or salmon, and if it | | | | yogurt. It is high in another fermented yogurt like |
| is the right time of year or you are in the proper | | | | drink called kefir, which is now available in many |
| locale for vitamin D from sun exposure, then get | | | | health food stores. It can be bought plain or in |
| enough sunlight on the skin to produce ample | | | | flavors, just like yogurt. If you get enough folic acid |
| amounts of vitamin D. Check with your doctor if you | | | | in the first two months of pregnancy it lowers the |
| plan on taking supplemental vitamin D. | | | | chances of cleft palate, and throughout the entire |
| Vitamin E is needed to produce lots of new body | | | | pregnancy of development of spina bifida. |
| tissues in the mother and the baby. This can be | | | | The amount of vitamin B12 in just a few ounces of |
| gotten with the amount present in an egg a day. | | | | meat eaten daily can meet the needs of a growing |
| Most multivitamins contain 400IU of vitamin D, and it | | | | baby in the womb. For vegetarian mothers the best |
| is present in many other foods, especially wheat | | | | way to ensure adequate B12 is from supplements. |
| germ. | | | | For lacto ovo vegetarians, the friendly probiotic |
| Vitamin B2, or riboflavin, protects the developing child | | | | bacteria in yogurts and kefir will synthesize B12 in the |
| from defects in the formation of body structures, | | | | intestines. |
| such as malformed hearts and other serious | | | | Expectant mothers should do what they can to |
| deformities. The good news is that only a small | | | | ensure that they are receiving the proper amounts |
| amount is needed. Only.3 milligrams, or the amount in | | | | of these critical nutrients for proper fetal |
| less than one ounce of cereal, above the regular | | | | development, since their babies' quality of life can |
| recommended amount, is necessary. | | | | depend on it. |
| Vitamin C levels in the mother can drop by 50% as | | | | |