The “Big 3” Nutrients for a Healthier Pregnancy
Folic acid, a B vitamin, is important for all women who may become pregnant. Healthful diets with adequate folic acid intake may reduce a woman’s risk of having a child with a brain or spinal defect, especially when folic acid is consumed prior to and during the first month following conception. Women who could become pregnant are advised to eat foods fortified with folic acid or take supplements in addition to eating folate-rich foods. The recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for folate equivalents for pregnant women is 600 micrograms per day.
Calcium with vitamin D is also essential for infant development and for the long-term health of the mother. Vitamin D helps the body absorb and retain calcium. Consuming plenty of calcium during pregnancy helps the baby to grow strong bones and teeth, a healthy heart, nerves, and muscles, and to develop normal heart rhythm and blood clotting abilities. It’s important for the mother’s health as well — The National Osteoporosis Foundation recommends that pregnant and nursing women consume 1,000 milligrams of calcium per day and between 400 and 800 international units of vitamin D per day.
These first two nutrients, folic acid and calcium with vitamin D, are vital to every baby’s health, but the third nutrient is one that many people don’t know enough about — DHA omega-3. DHA omega-3 is possibly the most important nutrient for expectant mothers.
DHA omega-3 is a fatty acid important for brain, eye and nervous system development and function, as well as heart health. A diet rich in DHA omega-3 during pregnancy and breastfeeding may play a role in supporting healthy pregnancies, helping a mother’s emotional well-being after birth and aiding the mental and visual development of infants. Despite its importance, consumers rarely get enough DHA omega-3 in their diets. The recommended intake for pregnant and breastfeeding women is at least 200 milligrams per day of DHA.
Microalgae are the only vegetarian source that provides a meaningful amount of DHA omega-3. Look for vegetarian algal sources of DHA in mainstream food and supplement products —including certain types of fortified yogurts, eggs, milk, soymilk or prenatal vitamins and supplements. Babies get DHA omega-3 through breast milk, and can also get it in more than 99 percent of infant formulas on the U.S. market.
Women who consume a Western diet are at risk for low stores of DHA. This is because the primary dietary sources of DHA are fatty fish and organ meats, dietary choices that are not staples of the Western diet. Additionally, expert bodies such as the FDA have advised pregnant and nursing women to limit their fish consumption due to the potentially high levels of toxins such as mercury.
Other vegetarian sources of omega-3 fatty acids, such as flax seeds, walnuts and certain vegetable oils, contain ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), not DHA omega-3. ALA has no known independent benefits on brain or eye health and there are insufficient data to support its role in cardiovascular health. EPA (eicosapentaenoic acid), found in fish oil, has been shown to support cardiovascular health but has not been proven to play a role in brain or eye health.
Olympic Gold Medal soccer star and new mother Mia Hamm is spreading the word about DHA and the “Big 3” nutrients in a public service announcement sponsored by the Society for Women’s Health Research. To view the PSA and find out more about the “Big 3” nutrients please visit www.thebig3.org.
A contribution from Lorraine Penaloza – the Society for Women’s Health Research PSA
The information provided here does not necessarily reflect the information or thoughts of the publisher and owner. In all situations related to pregnancy, advice should be sourced from a qualified doctor or physician.
