 (ARA) - Most moms-to-be know good nutrition starts in the womb. By getting the proper balance of vitamins and minerals while pregnant, a mother can help set her unborn baby on the road to lifelong health. While a good diet can provide for most of a developing baby's needs, some vital nutrients are nearly impossible to get - in sufficient quantities - through diet alone.
Here are five nutrients - critical to a healthy pregnancy - that can best be obtained through use of supplements:
* Folic acid - Folic acid is a B Vitamin that helps prevent birth defects in the brain and spinal cord of developing babies, according to the March of Dimes. Health experts advise taking a daily multivitamin that provides 400 micrograms of folic acid before and during pregnancy.
* Calcium - Growing babies require calcium to develop healthy bones and teeth, and if they don't get enough from Mom's diet, her body will leach it from her own bones, possibly impacting her own bone health later in life. Before, during and after pregnancy, mothers should consume 1,000 mg per day - about four servings of calcium-rich foods. Pregnant women who are already feeling overwhelmed by the extra chore of eating for two, may benefit from a calcium supplement.
* DHA - This Omega-3 fat is found only in fish, not in plant sources, yet many pregnant women may avoid eating fish because of contamination concerns. Omega-3 is essential for proper development of a baby's eyes, brain, nervous and immune systems.
* EPA - Another Omega-3 fat found only in fish, EPA reduces inflammation, and can help ease the joint inflammation commonly associated with pregnancy, and improve the flexibility of joints.
* Vitamin D - This fat-soluble nutrient is related to bone, cardiac and immune health. It's also essential for the proper absorption of other nutrients, like Omega-3.
Prenatal vitamins rarely include two of the last three nutrients on this list - DHA, and EPA. While there is no official recommended daily allowance for Omega-3, most health experts agree 300 milligrams per day should be the minimum intake. Vitamin D, while commonly found in prenatal supplements, is rarely present at the levels recommended by experts; most have 400 international units (IU) of Vitamin D, while experts say pregnant women need 1,000 to 2,000 IUs daily.
PharmaOmega Mom contains both the Omega-3 fats necessary for a healthy pregnancy (DHA and EPA), as well as a high concentration of Vitamin D. The all-natural, ultra-concentrated and purified capsules, when taken with a daily multivitamin, can help expectant mothers and women trying to get pregnant ensure they have a healthy pregnancy and baby.
To receive a free sample of PharmaOmega Mom, and for more tips on how to maintain a healthy pregnancy, go to www.pharmaomega.com.
Copyright © 2008, ARAnet, Inc.
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