Pregnancy is a time of incredible change and growth, both physically and emotionally. It is a period of immense responsibility for the mother, requiring careful lifestyle planning and essential prenatal care to ensure the health of her baby. While there are many benefits to taking prenatals during pregnancy, there are also risks associated with not taking them. In this blog post, we will explore what happens if you don’t take prenatals during pregnancy and how it can affect the mother and baby. We will discuss why prenatals are recommended, what risks you may face if you choose not to take them, and the potential consequences of not taking them. Ultimately, our goal is to provide you with the information you need to make an informed decision about your health and that of your unborn child.
Why do pregnant women need prenatal vitamins and what happens if you don’t take them?
Prenatal vitamins are crucial because pregnancy is incredibly demanding on the body and as a result, your body needs a little assistance to keep up with what is required of it during this time.
Research shows that its common for nutritional deficiencies to worsen during pregnancy due to increased energy and nutritional demands. Experiencing malnutrition during pregnancy is linked to poor health outcomes for your baby down the line, including a greater risk of obesity or stunted linear growth.
In general, the healthier you are, the better the chances are that your child will be healthy in the future.
Anemia affects about 25% of pregnant women to varying degrees due to prenatal iron deficiency, and it is more prevalent in Torres Strait Islander or Aboriginal women.
This is partly because your baby will need more iron as they grow, as the daily recommended dose increases from 18 mg to 27 mg. Unfortunately, even eating an iron-rich diet doesn’t always get you over the line. Fortunately, iron supplements (whether separate or included in prenatal supplements) can frequently help.
However, before you begin taking iron supplements, make sure to consult your doctor.
The current practice in Australia involves blood tests at certain stages of your pregnancy before youre advised to increase your intake of iron by taking prenatal vitamins.
Its also important to note that iron tablets dont work for all pregnant women (and constipation can be a common, but unpleasant side effect), so be sure to check in with your doctor if youre not experiencing any change.
When should you start taking prenatal vitamins?
For many people, getting pregnant doesnt happen overnight. Even though it sounds boring, there is a lot of preparation involved, as well as a number of variables that will affect both your and your partner’s success, such as diet and nutrition.
For this reason, it is advised that women who are trying to get pregnant begin taking prenatal vitamins before becoming pregnant. Prenatal vitamins are frequently advised to be started up to three months before trying to get pregnant in order to give your body enough time to reach the desired nutritional status.
Basically, you want to increase your resources before sharing them with others. This will also help you establish healthy habits.
For even more motivation, its in the first month of pregnancy that your body gets busy forming some really important organs like the heart and the neural tube, which then develop into the spinal cord and brain.
This is why taking folic acid supplements prior to conception is strongly recommended in order to support the development of crucial organs and lessen the risk of birth defects.
Prenatal vitamins will help set you up for a healthy pregnancy because many women don’t realize they’re pregnant until four to eight weeks into the pregnancy.
Before trying to conceive, as with anything health-related, it’s important to speak with a qualified medical professional to ensure that you’re taking all the necessary precautions, such as maintaining a healthy diet and taking prenatal vitamins.
Prenatal vitamins can be taken continuously throughout your pregnancy to ensure that you are giving your body the most beneficial nutrients possible.
In fact, including prenatal vitamins into your daily diet has been shown to support strong maternal and child nutrition, have a range of health and well-being related benefits and is an important part of prenatal care.
Vitamin D
Vitamin D, which is produced naturally by exposure to sunlight, aids in the mother’s and baby’s bone development. This vitamin also strengthens teeth, hair, and nails.
FAQ
Will my baby be OK if I don’t take prenatal vitamins?
What can happen if you don’t take your prenatal vitamins everyday?