101. a Healthy Pregnancy

Taking a daily multivitamin when you are pregnant will also help you and your baby to be healthy and meet your nutrient needs for important vitamins and minerals. Take your supplement throughout your pregnancy.

Choose a multivitamin and mineral supplement (or prenatal supplement) that has:

• 0.4 mg folic acid
• 16 to 20 mg iron
• 400 IU of vitamin D
• Some vitamin B12

Do not take more than 1 daily dose of a multivitamin and mineral supplement.

Vitamin A – Caution:

Too much vitamin A can be harmful to your baby. Do not take more than 10,000 IU (International Units) of vitamin A daily from your food and supplements. Liver is high in vitamin A. If you eat beef liver, limit to a 75 g serving (2.5 oz) every 2 weeks.

Vegan:

If you are vegan or if you avoid certain foods, you may be missing important nutrients. Call Health Link at 8-1-1 and ask to speak to a Registered Dietitian.

Supplements do not take the place of food and healthy eating. It is important to eat sources of the following nutrients from foods as well.

Each day, choose foods high in folate and take a multivitamin and mineral supplement containing 0.4mg (400mcg) of folic acid to help prevent neural tube defects in your baby.

Some people may need higher levels of folic acid. Talk to your healthcare provider about your folic needs if:

• You have had a pregnancy affected by a neural tube defect.
• You have a close relative with a neural tube defect.
• You have diabetes, obesity or epilepsy.
• You take medication.
• You have certain health conditions or used alcohol beyond a healthy limit prior to pregnancy

Do not take more than 1 mg of folic acid per day before talking to your healthcare provider.

Foods high in folate or fortified with folic acid include:

• Whole grain breads
• Leafy green vegetables
• Beans and lentils
• Citrus fruits and juices
• Most cereals

Choose foods high in iron and take a multivitamin containing 16 – 20 mg of iron (most prenatal vitamins have more than 20 mg of iron). Your body absorbs the iron from meat, poultry and fish better than iron from other foods. For your body to absorb more iron, eat a food containing vitamin C (e.g. oranges or strawberries) and a food containing iron at the same time. For example have tomatoes with meat, or an orange with a bowl of cereal and milk.

Best sources of iron:

• Beef
• Pork
• Chicken
• Lamb
• Fish
• Sardines
• Shrimp
• Oysters
• Mussels

Other foods with iron:

• Pumpkin seeds
• Legumes (lentils, beans, chickpeas)
• Tofu
• Whole grain and enriched cereals

Tea and coffee can interfere with iron absorption, so don’t have them at the same time as foods with iron.

Some women may need to take iron supplements. Talk to your healthcare provider to find out how much is right for you.

Foods high in calcium:

• Milk
• Yogurt
• Calcium-fortified beverages, such as soy or orange juice. The label must say it has been calcium fortified.
• Cheese (choose cheese that is considered safe during pregnancy, see food safety section)

Other sources of calcium:

• Canned salmon or sardines with bones
• Tofu made with calcium
• White beans

Other plant based beverages are not a substitute for cow’s milk or a fortified soy beverage as these beverages are lower in protein and may not be fortified with calcium and vitamin D.

Check your multivitamin to see how much vitamin D you’re getting from it. You may need to add an extra vitamin D supplement if the multivitamin has less than 400 IU. In addition to your supplement, drinking 2 cups (500 mL) of milk or a fortified plant-based beverage can also help you get enough vitamin D. If you feel you are not getting enough Vitamin D talk to your health care provider.

Foods high in vitamin D:

• Milk
• Fortified soy beverages
• Fatty Fish (e.g. salmon, trout, herring, Atlantic mackerel and sardines)
• Eggs