Wondering which supplements you should be taking during pregnancy? Having reviewed
the evidence and provided consultations to thousands of clients, I've summarised my
essential recommendations for what supplements you should take when pregnant. Stay tuned!
If this is our first time connecting, welcome!
My name is Melanie McGrice and I'm a pre and postnatal dietitian. I help couples give their
baby's the best start possible with the power of good food. Make sure you connect with me on
my socials... you'll find all the details in the description box below this video.
As a dietitian, I believe in a 'food first' approach... meaning that I believe that food
is the best source of nutrition and I'd prefer that you get your nutrients from a great diet,
than from supplements... however, pregnancy is a time of such increased nutrition needs
that I believe that taking some additional supplements is worth it for most women.
I also passionately believe that every woman should have her nutritional supplements
tailored to her unique needs. Your body composition,
dietary habits, medical conditions, pregnancy complications and more
will all impact the supplements that you should take when pregnant. A prenatal dietitian is the
best person to assess your needs and determine which pregnancy supplements are right for you.
However, I'm going to share my top 4 supplements to take when pregnant...
Number 1: I'm sure you guessed this one! Folate. Folate is the only nutrient that
is recommended to take by authorities world-wide during pregnancy due to the
strong data showing its impact on reducing the risk for baby's developing Neural Tube Defects.
Folate comes in three main forms of supplements: folic acid, folinic acid and methylfolate.
Although, each of these forms have many other names, so it can become quite confusing.
The research on for reducing Neural Tube Defects has been done using folic acid,
so it's the primary choice for most people. Folinic acid and methylfolate are better absorbed,
so may be beneficial for women who have folic acid absorption issues.
I'd recommend speaking to your prenatal dietitian about how much you need and which
type would be the best choice for you, but for most women 400mcg folic acid will be adequate.
You can take folate as a stand alone supplement, or as part of a pregnancy multivitamin.
Number 2: Iodine. During pregnancy, iodine maintains normal functioning of the thyroid gland,
regulates your baby's metabolism and is essential for the development of your bubba's brain and
nervous system. Severe iodine deficiency during pregnancy can result in physical and mental
stunting, however, research suggests that even a small iodine deficiency during pregnancy can actually
impact your child's learning abilities well into the future. Countries with iodine-deficient soil,
such as Australia and the United States, routinely recommend 150mcg iodine per day during pregnancy.
However, if you have a thyroid condition, you should speak to a health care professional
before taking iodine supplements. Also note that if you're taking a prenatal multi, you may find
iodine in there, so check any other supplements that you're taking before adding it in,
as like all supplements, too much can be even more harmful than too little.
Number 3: Omega 3. Now, although you can easily meet basic omega 3 requirements with a healthy
diet, research has found that high doses of omega 3 during pregnancy can significantly reduce the
risk of your baby being delivered early (known as a pre-term birth). When your baby is delivered
early, it can increase the risk of a host of long-term healthy problems, so if something
as simple as taking omega 3 supplements during pregnancy can make the difference,
then I'm all for it! The research found that you need to take between 500-1000mg long chain
omega 3, with at least 500mg being docosahexaenoic acid, also known as DHA. Omega 3 during pregnancy
is also important for reducing your baby's risk of food allergies, reducing their risk of asthma,
boosting their brain growth, the development of their eyesight, and much, much more..
So, a worthwhile supplement.
Number 4: For my last choice, I've gone with Vitamin D. Although the NICE antenatal guidelines
of the United Kingdom are one of the few national organizations to routinely recommend a vitamin D
supplement throughout pregnancy, I believe it is an important supplement to consider.
Maybe that's because I live in Melbourne, Australia where it's often cold and every second
one of my clients has a vitamin D deficiency. Vitamin D supplementation is only required
if you're not getting enough, and as we get most of our vitamin D from the sun,
if you don't get outside most days or you are someone who covers up when outdoors,
I'd highly recommend that you ask your doctor or obstetrician to check your vitamin D levels.
The UK guidelines recommend 10mcg, or 400IU of vitamin D each day during pregnancy,
but it's safe to take up to 100mcg or 4000IU per day if your levels are really low.
Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with an increased risk of preeclampsia,
gestational diabetes and low birth weight and emerging evidence suggests a potential
relationship between vitamin D deficiency and increased risks of allergic diseases.
Pregnancy is the most important time in a woman's life for optimal nutrition
so I'd highly recommend that you book a consultation with a prenatal dietitian
for personally nutrition tailored advice.
If you haven't done so already, download my free pregnancy meal
plan from melaniemcgrice.com/pregnancy.
And, make sure you subscribe so that you receive my weekly pregnancy nutrition tips.
I'll see you in my next video!