Taking prenatal vitamins is an important step for pregnant women to take to protect their health and the health of their babies.  These multivitamins are specially formulated to provide additional nutrients to make up for any nutritional deficiencies that may occur in the mother’s diet.  And although there are many vitamins and minerals found in prenatal vitamins, it is the iron, folic acid, and calcium that are most important.

Folic acid reduces the risk of having a baby born with serious birth defect that affects the brain and spinal cord.  For example, spina bifida is the most common birth defect caused by a lack of folic acid.  Spina bifida babies are born without a closed spine – the nerves of the spinal column are damaged, and the child may have varying degrees of mental retardation, paralysis, and incontinence.

These specific types of birth defects, called neural tube defects, typically occur within the first twenty-eight days after conception, before most women are even aware they are pregnant.  For this reason, the United States Public Health Service recommends all women get 400 micrograms of folic acid every day, allowing the right amount of folic acid to be present in the body before the baby is even conceived.  Folic acid is naturally found in citrus fruits, green leafy vegetables, beans, and nuts.  In addition, you can also find breakfast cereals and other products that have been enriched with the daily recommended allowance of folic acid.

Calcium is very important during pregnancy, as it can help prevent the mother’s bone density from decreasing due to the fetus’s calcium needs.  The growing baby needs calcium for its own bone growth, and it may draw calcium from the mother at the expense of her bones.  Calcium is easily found in dairy products, many fruits and vegetables, or in antacid tablets and other supplements.

Iron is very important as well, since the baby takes so much iron away from the mother during development.  Iron helps the baby and the mother’s blood carry oxygen to different parts of the body, so it’s important to ensure that both the baby and mother receive an adequate supply.  Iron is typically found in meat products, although many vegetarian options – like tofu, beans and vegetables – contain significant iron sources as well.

The following is a list of what you should look for in your prenatal vitamin, although your doctor may prescribe a different set of values based upon your health, you nutritional needs, and the baby’s needs:

30 mg iron
15 mg of zinc
10 mg of vitamin E
2.2 mcg of vitamin B-12
17 mg of niacinamide
2.6 mg of pyridoxine
1.6 mg of riboflavin
1.5 mg of thiamine
70 mg of vitamin C
200 to 300 mg of calcium
400 IU of vitamin D
800-1000 mcg of folic acid
4000 to 5000 IU of vitamin A

You can find many brands of prenatal vitamins in your local pharmacy or supermarket, or your doctor may prescribe a specific formulation for you based on your needs.