Vitamin D and Pregnancy

Vitamin D is one of the pregnancy vitamins that every woman should consider adding to her regime. Health researchers have found that this vitamin benefits both mother and baby. Below are some of the benefits that can be reaped taking vitamin d in your pregnancy diet:

Decreased risk of pregnancy-related complications:

There was a study done the Medical University of South Carolina that involved 500 pregnant women. The women were divided into three groups. The first group was given 400 I.U. of vitamin D, the second group was given 2000 I.U. of and the third group was given 5000 I.U.. The results of the study were that the women in the third group had the lowest incidences of gestational diabetes, preterm birth and infections.

Decreased risk of preeclampsia

Preeclampsia is a condition that causes high blood pressure and high levels of protein in the urine. This condition can potentially be fatal for both mother and child. In fact, preeclampsia is the number one cause of maternal and fetal death. The good news is that vitamin D in your pregnancy diet can help prevent this condition. Studies have shown that mothers who take vitamin D pregnancy have a reduced risk of developing preeclampsia.

Lower incidences of respiratory infections in newborns

Newborns are very susceptible to developing a respiratory infection because their immune systems have not fully developed. Researchers have found a link between low maternal vitamin D pregnancy and frequent infection respiratory infections in infants. They have also found that taking vitamin D pregnancy can reduce the number of respiratory infections that a baby has during his first five years of life.

Again, taking vitamin D during your pregnancy is one of the best things that you can do to keep you and your developing baby health. You also need to make sure that you are taking your other pregnancy vitamins and following an overall health diet. Below is some information about the pregnancy diet:

Foods to avoid

There are a number of foods that you want to make sure that you avoid while you are following your pregnancy diet. Mackerel, swordfish, tilefish and shark should not be consumed because they contain high levels of mercury. You also want to make sure that you avoid consuming undercooked meat.

You also need to avoid drinking alcohol during pregnancy. Studies have shown that even small quantities of alcohol can cause birth defects. You also want to make sure that you limit the amount of caffeine that you consume. Excessive amount of caffeine have been shown to increase the risk of miscarriage and stillbirth. Two hundred milligrams of caffeine is the maximum amount that you should consume per day. That is the amount of caffeine that is one twelve ounce cup of coffee.

Pregnancy food

You should make sure that you are consuming plenty of fruits, vegetables and whole grains. You also need to make sure that you eat plenty of iron-rich foods, such as beans, turkey, dry fruit and mollusks. Salmon is another great pregnancy food. Salmon is rich in omega 3 fatty acids, which is a nutrient that has been shown to help a baby’s brain develop normally.

Please consult your physician before making any dietary changes.

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