Prenatal Vitamins
Overview
Prenatal vitamins are multivitamins formulated to address the unique dietary requirements before and during pregnancy.
During pregnancy, the body needs higher amounts of certain nutrients. Some of these nutrients include folic acid, iron, and vitamin D. Folic acid helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spine, vitamin D helps prevent rickets, and iron seems to help prevent anemia during pregnancy.
People commonly use prenatal vitamins to prevent birth defects of the brain and spine (neural tube birth defects), softening of bones in children, often due to vitamin D deficiency (rickets), and anemia during pregnancy. They are also used for preventing autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), low birth weight, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
During pregnancy, the body needs higher amounts of certain nutrients. Some of these nutrients include folic acid, iron, and vitamin D. Folic acid helps prevent birth defects of the brain and spine, vitamin D helps prevent rickets, and iron seems to help prevent anemia during pregnancy.
People commonly use prenatal vitamins to prevent birth defects of the brain and spine (neural tube birth defects), softening of bones in children, often due to vitamin D deficiency (rickets), and anemia during pregnancy. They are also used for preventing autism spectrum disorder, attention deficit-hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), low birth weight, and many other conditions, but there is no good scientific evidence to support most of these uses.
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