Ingredients to look for in your Prenatal Vitamins

We know that prenatal vitamins are supplements that provide a variety of essential vitamins and minerals for mother and baby. These nutrients promote healthy growth and development of the fetus and meet the growing nutritional needs of both. Also, we know that pregnancy can be as exciting as it is confusing, plus you may find yourself with many questions about changes in your body, nutritional needs and what to expect in the future.

In this article, we help you learn about the importance of prenatal vitamins, what ingredients to look for, and why it's important to look for quality prenatal vitamins.

What do the experts say?

Both scientists and obstetricians and gynecologists agree that prenatal vitamins are essential in pregnancy; because, although it may be possible to obtain the necessary nutrients through a perfect diet, in most cases, women have nutritional gaps that must be covered by complete and good quality nutritional supplements.

It is essential to keep in mind that prenatal vitamins are important to prepare your body and also to help you get pregnant. Our recommendation is: take them three to four months before, to help improve the quality of the ovules: when you are thinking about it, when you are trying and when the time has come.

The World Health Organization, the CDC in the United States, the Spanish Association of Pediatrics and respectable entities around the world, recommend an intake of at least 0.4 mg (400 mcg) of folic acid per day, to prevent neural tube defects and birth defects. This is the best known recommendation and the one that most of us identify, but do you know about the other recommended or essential nutrients for pregnancy?

Recommended Essential Ingredients for Pregnancy

Folate or Vitamin B9

Because it is involved in many important processes in the body, Folate is a must for pregnant and non-pregnant people alike. When you are pregnant, it is essential to prevent congenital diseases, help the development of the neural tube and DNA synthesis.

Many prenatal multivitamins use folic acid, which is a synthetic form of folate; it needs the help of enzymes to be converted to 5-MTHF, which is the bioavailable form for efficient use by the body.

Up to a third of women have genetic variations that make it difficult to carry out this conversion efficiently. So our advice is to look for a multivitamin with bioavailable 5-MTHF, like our Excellence Prenatal Multivitamin . It contains the natural form of Vitamin B9 (Folate), in the optimal form of availability, so that you get all its benefits and it is something less to worry about.

Iron

It is a trace element necessary for the formation of red blood cells and oxygenation in the blood, cognitive health and energy metabolism. We chose iron gluconate in our prenatal vitamins because it is better tolerated to prevent gastrointestinal upset.

Iron is an important mineral, necessary for the proper growth and development of a baby. Because the amount of blood increases when a woman becomes pregnant, more iron is required to fully support the growth of the fetus and placenta: it prevents anemia, helps produce oxygen and red blood cells necessary for the development of a healthy embryo. Studies show that it can prevent miscarriages and repeat abortions.

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The American Academy of Pediatrics, the National Institute of Health and multiple studies recommend Choline as a key nutrient to support fetal neurodevelopment, along with Omega 3 fatty acids and folate, support the development of the baby's brain and spinal cord .

Choline promotes cell division, growth, and myelination in fetal development, and studies show a substantial demand during late pregnancy and lactation. Our Excellence Fertility Prenatal Vitamins are the only ones on the market that have this essential nutrient for pregnancy.

Iodine

Iodine is an essential component of thyroid hormones, it plays an important role in the development of the nervous and skeletal systems in fetuses and babies. Also, it is essential for female reproductive health. According to the National Institute of Health, the recommended dose of iodine for women of childbearing age is 220 mcg per day.

Calcium

Calcium is known to promote proper bone health. This mineral is vital for both mom and baby. Calcium supports the natural growth and development of the nervous, musculoskeletal and circulatory systems. Doctors recommend that pregnant or lactating women take 1,000 mg of calcium daily.

Studies find a reduction in the average risk of preeclampsia, which also reduces the average risk of preterm birth and may help prevent gestational hypertension.

Vitamin D

This vitamin is especially important for pregnant women, with studies suggesting that it is essential for optimizing fertility and health during pregnancy. Helps reduce the risk of preeclampsia, promotes normal bone mass at birth.

Also, it decreases the risk of asthma and respiratory complications and gestational diabetes. Considering that we have reduced our exposure to sunlight and that not everyone assimilates it in the same way, it is a good idea to look for prenatal vitamins that contain Vitamin D.

Omega 3

Did you know that DHA is an important component of the human brain? Of the three different Omega 3 fatty acids, we like to focus on DHA, specifically because it is essential for brain, heart, and eye health. It is crucial for the formation of the baby's brain and retina.

Omega 3 contributes to improving the morphology of the embryos and studies show that it helps to reduce the rate of spontaneous premature births.

There are numerous prenatal vitamin options on the market. It is important that you not only find the necessary ingredients, but also find out about the bioavailability (speed and quantity with which that ingredient is absorbed and becomes available), the quality and the quantity of these. If you have any questions about our Excellence Fertility Prenatal Vitamins or any of our products or ingredients you can contact us at hola@excellencefertiliy.com