A Quick Guide for the Best Prenatal Supplements During Pregnancy

Once the pregnancy test shows a positive result, everything changes! If you want a healthy pregnancy, you may want to consider prenatal supplements. Most people take prenatal vitamins both while trying to conceive and during pregnancy. Taking supplements before you become pregnant prepares your body and your hormones for gestation. During pregnancy, it helps ensure that your body has all of the nutrients it needs to carry the baby to full term. If you're interested in taking prenatal supplements for a healthy pregnancy, go ahead and contact your health care provider to recommend the best prenatals for hormone changes. Learn more about the best prenatal vitamins for a healthy pregnancy that we recommend below.

1. Fish Oil

Fish oil supplements are a rich source of omega-3 fatty acids. These supplements have anti-inflammatory ingredients for regulating hormones, metabolism, and brain function. Because it's rich in omega-3 fatty acids, it helps with cardiovascular disease. This is essential for pregnant women because moms experience cardiovascular changes throughout their pregnancy like high blood pressure, also known as gestational hypertension. It typically changes within the first trimester, and pregnant women typically experience an increase in blood volume and cardiac output.

2. Prenatal Vitamin

A prenatal vitamin can consist of multivitamins that play an important role in fetal development in the womb for a full-term pregnancy. It's essential to minimize the risk of deficiencies such as iron deficiency or anemia. These are medical conditions that are common in early pregnancy. A pregnant woman also experiences weight gain, morning sickness, and high blood pressure. A daily prenatal vitamin helps the fetus from developing pregnancy complications or birth defects. It has key vitamins like folic acid, omega-3 fatty acids, vitamin D3, B-complex vitamins, calcium, and zinc to ensure the pregnant mother meets their nutritional needs. Taking a supplement helps with the baby's development and ensures a healthy start. It can help reduce the complications of pregnancy and minimize the risk of preterm birth.

3. Iron

Daily iron supplements help with transporting oxygen and enhancing energy. Any healthcare provider will tell you it's common for a pregnant mother to experience fatigue. It takes a lot of energy to help a fetus grow, and in the days of early pregnancy, hormones are all over the place. Iron deficiency is quite common and can depend on aging, pregnancy, heavy menstrual periods, meat consumption, and poor digestive function. That's why it's important to contact a healthcare provider or an obstetrician about taking an iron supplement. Iron deficiency can result in anemia. Symptoms of anemia include dizziness, nausea, fatigue, vomiting, and chest pain.

4. Probiotics

Pregnant women experience hormone changes throughout early pregnancy and as they carry the fetus to full term. Not only does the growth of their future child change their hormone levels, but it also changes their digestive functions and affects their immune system. With a growing fetus, it's important to ask a healthcare provider about taking probiotics. A poor digestive function can prevent iron absorption. This is an essential nutrient throughout the many weeks of pregnancy, whether it's the first trimester or the third trimester. Probiotics also help with a strong immune system and improve the pregnant mother's mood. If you think about it, the mother's immune system is the fetus' first line of defense. That's why probiotics are one of many prenatal supplements to consider taking. Probiotic supplements are also used for gestational diabetes.

5. Cal-Mag

The cal-mag prenatal supplement refers to calcium and magnesium. These are key nutrients for pregnant women because they help with the baby's development and the baby's health. It promotes collagen synthesis and the formation of bone tissue for the fetus. It also improves muscle function by regulating muscle contractions. The fetus will need calcium and magnesium to grow a healthy heart, as well as bones and muscles all the way until childbirth when your newborn finally arrives.

Whether you consult an obstetrician, a gynecologist, or any other healthcare provider, you'll learn that prenatal supplements are essential. You need these nutrients from conception to the day your pregnancy test shows a positive result and all the way until you go into labor. Talk to your health care provider about taking prenatal supplements. They will help you with prenatal care in your birth plan and give you guidelines to live a healthy lifestyle for the best pregnancy outcome. The best way to ensure a healthy pregnancy is to meet all of the nutritional needs for fetal development. So, make sure to follow the directions of your healthcare provider, especially if you suffer from any health conditions or have a high-risk pregnancy. You'll want to do your best to avoid any pregnancy complications throughout the weeks of gestation. Prenatals are essential for the health of the mother and the baby.