Pre-Pregnancy Supplementation

Pre-Pregnancy Supplements and Superfoods

Pregnancy is one of the most nutritionally demanding period of woman's life. 
The recommended dietary intake of nutrients increases by up to 50% in pregnancy and it can be difficult to get sufficient amount through diet alone.
It can take time for our body to build up essential nutrients which are important to prepare for the increased nutritional requirements of pregnancy.
so, a well balanced healthy diet along with recommended dose of nutritional supplements are advisable.

Folic Acid

Folic Acid is most important out of all the vitamins you need for a healthy pregnancy.
It is required for the cell division and it plays a major role in the prevention of major birth defects of the baby’s brain and spine.

Folic acid supplementation after the diagnosis of pregnancy is far less effective than while planning. So, for women planning to get pregnant, folic acid supplementation should start 3 months before conception with recommended dose of 400-500 mcg per day and should be continued throughout the pregnancy.

Hence, 5 mg tablet of folic acid 1 daily is beneficial to start before conception till first 3months & to continue with other multivitamins throughout pregnancy.

P.S. Commonly people confuse folic acid with folate, although both the terms are commercially employed but biologically- folate is the bioavailable (natural form) of vitamin B9 found in a variety of plant and animal foods while folic acid is the synthetic form of the vitamin, primarily found in supplements and fortified foods.
Folic acid is a water soluble vitamin, so 50-90% of dose may be excreted in urine & only 10% gets absorbed [10% of 5mg = 0.5 mg = (500mcg)] & reaches the circulation.

Rich sources of folate :-
Dark leafy greens (e.g. spinach,lettuce, asparagus, curry leaves). 
Cabbage, Broccoli, Okra, yeast, tomato, Carrot, Mushrooms, Beetroot & Sweet potato.
Whole grains.
Beans (Cluster beans, french beans, kidney beans, chickpeas, white beans, Soybeans).
Milk & milk products.
Fruits (such as Avocado, Bananas, Melons and citrus fruits-Orange, Lemons) and meat.
Nuts & Seeds.
Non vegetarian food like lean meat, liver, chicken, egg yolk, Fish (e.g. salmon, mackerel).

Iron

This nutrient plays a vital role in oxygen transport. It is found that babies who are iron-deficient may develop more slowly and show brain abnormalities.
Women in most cases have low iron stores as a result of monthly menstruation and with diets low in iron where, Ideal requirement is 18 mg of iron per day. 
Women with low iron levels should consider taking an iron supplement to prepare your body for pregnancy. 

Vitamin C for iron absorption

Vitamin C intake enhances iron absorption from the gut. It’s always beneficial to try to squeeze few drops of lemon in your daily diet, for example in your freshly cooked leafy vegetables, salads, smoothies, water etc.
Pairing your high-iron foods with foods rich in vitamin C like fruits and vegetables increases iron absorption. For instance, having orange with a plate of eggs increases your body’s absorption of the iron in eggs.

Pro Tip : Accompanying your high-iron foods with calcium-rich foods, such as drinking milk with a plate of eggs, inhibits iron absorption. Therefore, it’s beneficial to consume calcium-rich foods at a separate time. Same goes with your iron & calcium supplementation, both should be consumed at different time.

Rich sources of Iron :-
Whole grains
Beans & Lentils (Chickpeas, Red kidney beans, Bengal grams, Moth beans, Soy bean).
Green leafy vegetables (such as Spinach, Amaranth, Colocasia leaves).
Fruit Vegetables (Cauliflower greens, Tomato, Capsicum).
Fruits such as Pomegranate, Apple, Melons, Berries, Banana, Kiwi, Oranges.
Dry fruits like Dates, Raisins, Apricot, Figs.
Nuts like Peanuts, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachio.
Seeds like Pumpkin, watermelon, fenugreek, niger, sesame & garden cress seeds.
Non-vegetarian food like lean meat, chicken breast, liver, eggs, crab muscle.

Calcium

Preparing for pregnancy includes building healthy bones.
If there is not enough calcium in the pregnancy diet, the fetus may draw calcium from the mother's bones, which can put women at risk for osteoporosis (severe calcium deficiency) later in life.
The recommended calcium intake for women is 1,000 milligrams per day.

Rich sources of Calcium :-
Whole grains specially Ragi (Millet).
Beans & Lentils like Bengal gram, Black gram, Moth beans, Rajmah, Soybeans..
Milk & milk products.
Green leafy vegetables such as Amaranth, colocasia leaves, curry leaves, fenugreek leaves.
Fruit vegetables like Cauliflower greens, Broccoli, Cabbage, Okra.
Nuts like Walnuts, Almonds, Cashew, pistachio, figs.
Seeds mainly Sesame , Poppy seeds, Garden cress, Niger, chia & linseed seeds.
Non-vegetarian food like Hen, lean meat, crab muscle, egg & Fish like Mackerel, Salmon, Surmai, prawns, Bam.

In fact, folic acid along with calcium and iron have been considered as the Holy Trinity of prenatal wellness.

Vitamin D3

Vitamin D3 is essential key nutrient in calcium absorption and deposition in bone. The vitamin D requirements during pregnancy increase because the fetus is totally dependent on the maternal pool of vitamin D.
The main source is sunlight exposure. 
Egg yolk, oily fish, liver & mushrooms can provide smaller proportions of total vitamin D.
Recommended daily supplement of vit D3 is 600-800 IU.   
Normal range of D3 should be in between 30-50 ng/mL.

 

Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is essential for the formation of red blood cells and it's also required for normal neurological function.
This vitamin is contained in appreciable amounts only in animal products. Vitamin B12 deficiency is of concern in women who follow vegetarian and vegan diet but also can be a concern for non-vegetarians.
It is advisable to keep check levels of vitamin B12 levels & to take supplements accordingly.
Normal range of B12 should be around 500 ng/mL.

Rich sources of vitamin B12 :-

Low fat Milk & milk products such as cheese, Paneer, Tofu, yogurt.
Soy Milk.
Fish like Mackerel, Salmon, Tuna & Shellfish.
Lean Meat - liver, kidney & Beef.
Poultry - chicken breast
Eggs & Crab muscles.

Following superfoods you need to add in your daily diet along with above supplementation to boost your health and immunity :-

Grains : Foods that are made from wheat, rice, oats, cornmeal, barley, or another cereal grain are grain products. Make at least half of your grains whole-grains. Examples of whole-grains include whole-wheat, brown rice, and oatmeal.

Vegetables : Vary your vegetables. Choose a variety of vegetables, including dark green, red, and orange vegetables, legumes (dry beans and peas), and starchy vegetables.

Fresh Fruits & Handful of Nuts.

Dairy : Milk products and many foods made from milk. Use fat-free or low-fat dairy products that are high in calcium.

Protein : Go lean with protein. Choose low-fat or lean meats and poultry. Vary your protein routine by choosing more fish, whole egg, nuts, seeds, peas, and beans.