When you're pregnant, it's important to keep a balanced diet. After all, a healthy diet means a healthy mother and ultimately, a healthy baby. We've popped together a no-nonsense guide to the best pregnancy vitamins in the UK. After all, prenatal vitamins help to reduce the risk of problems with your baby's development. Plus, they can regulate your vitamin and mineral intake, helping you to have a healthy pregnancy.

Which supplements are suitable for pregnant women?

A UK National Diet and Nutrition Survey reported that the following nutrients are lower than recommended in the diets of some UK women of childbearing age:

Vitamins A and D, Riboflavin, Folate, Iron, Iodine, Calcium, Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, Selenium and Fibre

The survey also revealed that approximately 10 per cent of women are anaemic and, depending on the season, 10 to 40 per cent are deficient in vitamin D.

Lucy Upton, a Specialist Paediatric Dietitian & Nutritionist says:

"Whilst there are many steps that pregnant women can take to increase their consumption and exposure to these key vitamins, minerals, and nutrients – such as adjusting their diet or increasing time spent safely in the sun outdoors – many pregnant women may still fall short of the required nutrients...

Whilst supplementation with some key nutrients – including folic acid and vitamin D – is recommended in the UK for all pregnant women, others may find it beneficial to take an additional supplement to help ensure they are getting enough of other vital nutrients."

Furthermore, the NHS advises pregnant women to consider taking a vitamin D supplement.

Healthy Start Vitamins

Healthy Start is a government initiative, which gives mums (with children under four) and pregnant women free vouchers every week to spend on milk, plain fresh and frozen fruit and vegetables, as well as infant formula milk. You can also get free vitamins.

Nutrients provided in Healthy Start Vitamins:

• 400µg folic acid

• 10µg vitamin D

• 70mg vitamin C

Healthy Start vitamins are suitable for all pregnant women and free to those eligible through the Healthy Start scheme.

The benefits:

Taking the daily recommended 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid before and during pregnancy can help prevent birth defects in the baby's brain and spinal cord.

• Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to help keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.

• Vitamin C is essential for tissue repair, wound healing, bone growth and repair, and healthy skin.

• Vitamin C also helps your body fight infections and acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.

• These vitamins are limited to CCGs where staff distribute it and are not available in retail outlets.

Folic Acid

Taking supplemented folic acid is suitable for all pregnant people. Folic acid helps the body make healthy red blood cells and is found in certain foods like sunflower seeds and sprouts.

Benefits:

• Taking the daily recommended 400 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid before and during pregnancy can help prevent neural tube defects.

•This vitamin is widely available in retail pharmacies, supermarkets and online.

Vitamin D

Depending on the brand, you will be taking 10-25µg of vitamin D and suitable for pregnant women to take.

The benefits:

• Vitamin D regulates the amount of calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed to help keep bones, teeth, and muscles healthy.

• This vitamin is widely available in retail pharmacies, supermarkets and online.

Multi-vitamins and minerals

Nutrients provided:

• 10µg vitamin D

• B vitamins including 400µg of folic acid and vitamin B12

• Vitamins C, E and K Betacarotene (carotenoid forms of vitamin A)

• Iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, magnesium and copper

• Omega 3 fatty acids

Benefits:

• Iodine is critical for a woman’s healthy thyroid function during pregnancy.

• Iron helps blood in both the mother and baby as its function is to carry oxygen.

• This vitamin is widely available in retail pharmacies, supermarkets and online.

Multi-vitamins and minerals (including calcium)

Nutrients provided:

• 10µg vitamin D

• B vitamins including 400µg folic acid and Vitamin B12

• Vitamins C, E & K Betacarotene (carotenoid forms of vitamin A)

• Calcium

• Iron, iodine, zinc, selenium, magnesium and copper

• Omega 3 fatty acids

The benefits:

• Calcium is important for pregnant women. It can help prevent women from losing their own bone density as the baby uses calcium from the mother for its own bone growth.

• Iodine is critical for a woman’s healthy thyroid function during pregnancy.

• Iron helps blood in both the mother and baby as it's function is to carry the oxygen.

• This vitamin is widely available in retail pharmacies, supermarkets and online.

Lucy recommends only buying supplements from a reliable company with robust quality control i.e. brands on sale in pharmacies. Choosing a ‘pregnancy’ labelled vitamin and mineral supplement is essential. Preparations for the ‘general’ adult population are likely to contain vitamin A, which in large amounts can harm your unborn baby.

This article was first published on Mother & Baby, see the original here: https://www.motherandbaby.co.uk/pregnancy/health-and-wellness/supplements-pregnant/