Can i have vitamin c while pregnant

Can You Take Vitamin C While Pregnant? | Nature Made®

Mar 11, 2021 Pregnancy Tips , Vitamin C

Quick Health Scoop

Vitamin C provides multiple health benefits, including playing a key role in supporting a healthy immune system^†
Vitamin C provides additional pregnancy-related benefits, too
It is safe to take Vitamin C during pregnancy

Eating a healthy, balanced diet plays a critical role in your well-being, but even more so for pregnant women who need to nourish their developing baby. Plus, during pregnancy, women may need more of certain nutrients. For example, pregnant women need a lot more Folate, Iron, Iodine, and Zinc; a little more Magnesium and Vitamin C; and the same amount of Calcium, Vitamin D and Vitamin E.¹, which can be found in a variety of prenatal supplements. (Read More: Magnesium Benefits) But when it comes to taking Vitamin C while pregnant, is it safe and how much Vitamin C per day is safe? What are the benefits of Vitamin C during pregnancy, and how much should moms-to-be take?

Benefits Of Vitamin C During Pregnancy

In general, Vitamin C provides multiple health benefits, such as supporting your healthy immune system, working as an antioxidant by helping to neutralize damaging free radicals in your cells, and as an enzyme cofactor, assisting in reactions such as making collagen and carnitine. Vitamin C also aids in the absorption of Iron.^2,†

But it’s also important to know that additional benefits of Vitamin C during pregnancy exist, too. As mentioned above, the body needs Vitamin C to produce collagen—a part of skin, blood vessels, tendons, and bone. Vitamin C is also an antioxidant that helps neutralize free radicals before they can damage cells. Finally, pregnant women need significantly more Iron during pregnancy as their blood volume increases.³ Additionally, Vitamin C improves the absorption of Iron from plant-based foods.^2,†

Learn More: What are Postnatal Vitamins?

Is Vitamin C Safe For Pregnancy?

Typically, women take prenatal multivitamins both before and during pregnancy, because they’re specially formulated to support the development of baby’s brain, nervous system, and eyes.^† Among the many important nutrients, these prenatal multis typically contain the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of Vitamin C for pregnant women. While healthy women need 75 mg of Vitamin C each day, pregnant women require 85 mg of Vitamin C each day, and breastfeeding women need 120 mg per day.²

As a general rule of thumb, pregnant women should avoid taking more than twice the recommended dietary allowances of vitamins and minerals.⁴

So, Vitamin C during pregnancy is certainly safe and beneficial for both mom and baby, as long the dosage remains within recommended daily levels.

Learn More: Can You Take Melatonin While Pregnant?

The Bottom Line

Vitamin C delivers a variety of health benefits, such as supporting a healthy immune system, but it also provides additional pregnancy-related benefits, too. It is safe to take Vitamin C while pregnant, and it’s necessary for both mom-to-be and developing baby. If you are pregnant, eating a healthy, balanced diet, and taking prenatal vitamins, you’re likely getting all the Vitamin C you need each day. As always, you should check with your healthcare provider before taking any medications, vitamins, or herbal supplements during pregnancy.^†

Continue to check back on the Nature Made blog for the latest science-backed articles to help you take ownership of your health.

Learn More About Women's Health:

When Should You Start Taking Prenatal Vitamins?
What Vitamins Do Women Need?
Vitamins for Women 50+

† These statements have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration. These products are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent any disease.

References:

1. Linus Pauling Institute. “Pregnancy in Brief.” August 2016. Accessed on: October 8, 2020. https://lpi.oregonstate.edu/mic/health-disease/pregnancy-in-brief

2. National Institutes of Health. “Vitamin C: Fact Sheet for Consumers.” 2019. Accessed on: August 27, 2020. https://ods.od.nih.gov/factsheets/VitaminC-Consumer/

3. Cardiovascular Journal of Africa. “Physiological changes in pregnancy.” March-April 2016. Accessed on: October 9, 2020. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4928162/#

4. Mayo Clinic. “Should women take supplements while pregnant?” January 15, 2020. Accessed on: October 9, 2020. https://www.mayoclinichealthsystem.org/hometown-health/speaking-of-health/should-women-take-supplements-while-pregnant

Lisa Beach

NatureMade Contributor

Sandra Zagorin, MS, RD

Science and Health Educator

Sign Up For More insights From Nature Made

Receive the Latest News and Special Offers

Vitamin C during pregnancy | BabyCenter

Vitamin C is important for a healthy immune system, and during pregnancy it helps you and your baby make collagen for your tendons, bones, and skin. To get enough vitamin C during pregnancy, eat citrus fruits and other fruits and vegetables that are rich in this important nutrient. Because it's fairly easy to get enough vitamin C from your diet and your prenatal vitamin, you probably don't need to take a vitamin C supplement.

Photo credit: iStock.com / nautiluz56

Why you need vitamin C during pregnancy

Both you and your baby need vitamin C daily because your bodies use it to make collagen, a structural protein that's a component of cartilage, tendons, bones, and skin. Vitamin C is also important for a healthy immune system.

Also known as ascorbic acid, vitamin C is essential for tissue repair, wound healing, bone growth and repair, and healthy skin. Vitamin C helps your body fight infections and acts as an antioxidant, protecting cells from damage.

Vitamin C also helps your body absorb iron, especially from vegetarian sources.

Signs of a vitamin C deficiency include fatigue, gum inflammation, slow-healing cuts, bruises, and dry skin.

How much vitamin C do pregnant women need?

Pregnant women need more vitamin C than women who aren't pregnant – and breastfeeding women need even more.

Pregnant women ages 18 and younger: 80 milligrams (mg) per day

Pregnant women ages 19 and older: 85 mg per day

Breastfeeding women ages 18 and younger: 115 mg per day

Breastfeeding women ages 19 and older: 120 mg per day

Advertisement | page continues below

Nonpregnant women ages 18 and younger: 65 mg per day

Nonpregnant women ages 19 and older: 75 mg per day

Best foods with vitamin C during pregnancy

Citrus fruits probably jump to mind – they're especially high in vitamin C – but leafy greens and many other fruits and vegetables are also excellent sources. Choose fresh foods as your source of vitamin C because heat can destroy this vitamin. Also, keep in mind that some cereals and juices are fortified with vitamin C.

Vitamin C also helps maximize the amount of iron you get from the other foods you eat. (You need a lot more iron during pregnancy, and it can be hard to get enough.) That's why it's a good idea to try to include a vitamin C-rich food with every meal. This is especially true when eating vegetarian sources of iron, like beans – the vitamin C can help you absorb up to six times more iron.

Foods that provide vitamin C include:

6 ounces orange juice: 93 mg
6 ounces grapefruit juice: 70 mg
one medium kiwi: 64 mg
1/2 cup raw, sweet green bell pepper: 60 mg
1/2 cup broccoli, cooked: 51 mg
1/2 cup strawberries, sliced: 49 mg
1/2 medium grapefruit: 39 mg
one medium baked potato: 17 mg
one raw, medium tomato: 17 mg
1 cup spinach, cooked: 9 mg

Do you need a vitamin C supplement during pregnancy?

There's usually no need to take a separate supplement. You can easily get the vitamin C you need from fruits and vegetables, and your prenatal vitamins also contain vitamin C.

It's not a good idea to take large doses of vitamin C when you're pregnant. The maximum daily amount that's considered safe is 1800 mg for women 18 and younger and 2000 mg for women 19 and over. Excessive vitamin C can upset your stomach, and more studies are needed to understand how these supplements could affect pregnancy outcomes.

Was this article helpful?

Yes

Eva Dasher

Eva Dasher writes, researches, and edits content on a wide variety of subjects, including parenting, medicine, travel, natural history, science, business, and the arts. Her favorite pastimes include experimenting with new foods, libations, and restaurants, as well as traveling the world with her two college-age children, husband, extended family, and friends.

Vitamins and pregnancy - articles from the specialists of the clinic "Mother and Child"

Kurbatskaya Olga Nikolaevna

Obstetrician-gynecologist

Lapino-1 Clinical Hospital "Mother and Child"

One of the most common questions that pregnant women ask their doctor is what vitamins should I take during pregnancy? Let's say right away whether expectant mothers need to drink pharmaceutical vitamins or not - there is no unequivocal answer to this question. Some doctors believe that the necessary nutrients should be obtained from natural products. Others are in favor of taking pharmaceutical multivitamins. It can only be said unequivocally that vitamins and microelements must necessarily enter the body of a pregnant woman. We will tell you which of them are most important for the expectant mother.

Folic acid

Other names for this vitamin are vitamin B ₉ or B _with. This vitamin is necessary for cell division and reproduction, so it is especially important in the first trimester of pregnancy, when all organs and systems of the child are being laid. Folic acid plays an important role in the synthesis of hemoglobin, and with its deficiency, anemia can develop. And folic acid also helps to reduce the likelihood of spinal defects in a child, takes care of the correct formation of his psyche and intellect. It is better to start taking folic acid three months before the planned conception, since a small supply of this vitamin will only be useful for both the expectant mother and the baby. If the pregnancy has come unplanned, then folic acid must be taken as soon as the woman finds out about her situation. On average, the dosage of this vitamin is from 0.4 to 0.8 mg per day.

Calcium

An expectant mother needs about 1200–1400 mg of calcium daily, while an ordinary woman needs 800–1000 mg of this trace element. Why? During pregnancy, the amount of calcium in the body of the expectant mother is significantly reduced, since it is also spent on the growth and development of the child. Especially a lot of calcium is needed in the third trimester, when the baby's skeleton is calcified. But calcium is needed not only for the growth of bones and teeth of a child - with its help, his nervous system, his heart, muscles, skin tissues, eyes, ears, hair and nails are formed. A pregnant woman needs calcium for the full functioning of the kidneys, the prevention of muscle pain, constipation, osteoporosis, caries and toxicosis. In addition, this trace element protects the expectant mother from stress and nervous overload.

Vitamin E

This vitamin is involved in the process of tissue respiration, it helps oxygen to penetrate into every cell of the body. At the same time, vitamin E is an excellent antioxidant: it protects cells from the formation of free radicals that can provoke various diseases. This protective function is especially important at the stage of embryo formation. In addition, vitamin E helps to normalize the hormonal balance of the body. In the early stages, it participates in the formation of the placenta, and also protects against abortion. The dose of vitamin E during pregnancy is 15 mg.

Vitamin E is found in vegetable oils, not less than this vitamin in lettuce, tomatoes, rose hips, parsley, spinach and peas. Some vitamin E is found in meat, eggs and milk.

Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in all metabolic processes, helps to cope with stress, normalizes the functioning of the cardiovascular system and blood pressure, and keeps blood vessels in good shape. Due to a lack of magnesium in the body, cramps in the muscles (usually in the calves) may appear. And since the uterus is also a muscular organ, with a lack of magnesium during pregnancy during gestation, the excitability of the myometrium increases, which leads to active uterine contractions. Therefore, with hypertension and the threat of abortion, magnesium is often prescribed.

Magnesium is rich in whole grains and whole grain breads, figs, almonds, seeds, dark green vegetables, and bananas.

iodine

Iodine is usually prescribed for pregnant women in the first trimester. Up to 16 weeks of pregnancy, the development of the child and the laying of all its organs and systems are "under the protection" of the mother's thyroid gland. And if a woman has little iodine, then this means that some system or organ of the baby may suffer. And even when the child’s own thyroid gland is formed and starts working, she can still take iodine only from the mother’s body. Its daily dose is 250 mg per day.

Iodine is easiest to get from seafood and sea or iodized salt. A lot of iodine is found in sea fish, seaweed, squid, persimmon, feijoa, dates, dried figs, dairy products and meat. However, iodine is destroyed by temperature effects, which means that after heat treatment, the amount of iodine in the products decreases sharply.

Iron

Iron is necessary primarily for the prevention of anemia. After all, it is part of hemoglobin, which carries oxygen throughout the body of the mother and child. In addition, iron is involved in protein synthesis, which is involved in the formation of muscle tissue. And iron deficiency can lead to increased uterine tone. The average daily dosage of iron is 30–60 mg. In some cases, if the woman's iron supply was initially reduced, the dosage may be higher.

Iron is found in meat, especially a lot of it in veal, turkey, hare, pork and beef. There is iron in plant foods, but from there it is absorbed much worse. Iron is best absorbed when taken together with vitamin C.

If a pregnant woman eats properly and varied, eats a lot of fruits and vegetables, then she may not need an additional complex of vitamins for pregnant women. It may be necessary to drink some vitamins separately, but this should be determined by the doctor. If, before pregnancy, a woman had signs of vitamin deficiency, she eats incorrectly or poorly, then multivitamins cannot be dispensed with.

Inset

Vitamin B ₉ (folic acid) is found in animal liver, spinach, asparagus, lentils, Brussels sprouts, beans and wholemeal flour. However, it is absorbed very poorly from food, no more than 50%. That is why it is prescribed to almost all pregnant women.

At one time, our body will not be able to absorb more than 500 mg of calcium. Therefore, you should not try to get the entire daily norm of this trace element in one meal. Try to eat foods containing calcium in small portions several times a day.

To increase the concentration of magnesium in tissues, vitamin B ₆ (pyridoxine) is needed, which facilitates its absorption and acts as a conductor of magnesium into the cell. Therefore, magnesium and vitamin B ₆ are often prescribed together.

Make an appointment

to the doctor - Kurbatskaya Olga Nikolaevna

Lapino-1 Clinical Hospital "Mother and Child"

PregnancyHome birthBirth

By clicking on the send button, I consent to the processing of personal data

Attention! Prices for services in different clinics may vary. To clarify the current cost, select the clinic

The administration of the clinic takes all measures to update the prices for programs in a timely manner, however, in order to avoid possible misunderstandings, we recommend that you check the cost of services by phone / with the managers of the clinic

Clinical Hospital MD GROUPClinical Hospital Lapino-1 "Mother and Child"Clinic KG "Lapino" in Odintsovo (branch)Clinic "Mother and Child" Khodynskoye PoleClinic "Mother and Child" KuntsevoClinic "Mother and Child" Savelovskaya Clinic "Mother and Child" » South-WestClinic "Mother and Child" NovogireevoClinic "Mother and Child" Lefortovo

All directionsSpecialist consultations (adults)Specialist consultations (children)Laboratory of molecular geneticsGeneral clinical studiesTreatment roomTelemedicine for adultsTherapeutic studiesUltrasound examinations for adults

01.

Specialist consultations (adults)

02.

Specialist consultations (children)

03.

Laboratory of molecular genetics

04.

General clinical studies

05.

Procedure cabinet

06.

Telemedics for adults

07. 9000 Nothing found

The administration of the clinic takes all measures to timely update the price list posted on the website, however, in order to avoid possible misunderstandings, we advise you to clarify the cost of services and the timing of the tests by calling

Vitamins for pregnant women: what will help and what will harm

May 3, 2020 Likbez Health

Be sure to make sure that the complex you choose includes the substances listed in the article.

If you are not pregnant, your vitamin requirements are likely to be completely covered by normal food. However, for women who are expecting a child, this rule does not always work.

Why pregnant women need more vitamins

Pregnancy dramatically increases the need for nutrition. For example, the amount of protein in the diet should increase from 0.8 g per 1 kg of weight (the norm for non-pregnant women) to at least 1.1 g per 1 kg (the norm for expectant mothers). This is necessary so that the female body can better adapt to the changes taking place in it and can withstand the new load. And also in order for the embryo to receive nutrients sufficient for active development.

But vitamins and microelements are even more important. They are involved in the formation of the main systems of the child's body - the brain, nervous system, spine, bones, muscle tissues - and are also responsible for the condition of the placenta. Their deficiency can cause developmental defects or provoke a miscarriage.

Here are the vitamins and microelements that are especially needed during pregnancy:

Vitamin B9 (folic acid), iron and iodine - they need one and a half times more than usual.
Vitamin B6 and zinc should be increased by about 30%.
Vitamin B12 - about 10% more should be supplied.

Prenatal vitamins contain more folic acid and iron than standard adult multivitamins.

Which of the pregnant women needs to take extra vitamins

Actually, everyone. This is recommended, in particular, by experts from the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists.

True, experts make a small reservation: you can try to get the required amount of micronutrients from food by increasing portions and supplementing the diet with dishes high in, for example, iron. But in some cases, dietary changes will not help.

Here are the categories of pregnant women who definitely need to take vitamin complexes:

Those who are on a diet or have a poor diet. With a monotonous, limited diet, the risk that the child will not receive important substances is especially high.
Vegans. There are a number of vitamins and other micronutrients that can only be obtained from animal foods or are extremely scarce in plant foods. We are talking, for example, about vitamin B12 or zinc.
Pregnant women with severe toxicosis. Nausea, vomiting, loss of appetite prevents adequate intake of vitamins from food.
Smokers. Let's not say that it would be worth giving up cigarettes for at least 9 months and the period of breastfeeding. Let's just say that nicotine impairs the absorption of vitamin C and folic acid. So, it can cause disturbances in the development of the embryo.
Women with multiple pregnancies. Those who are expecting more than one child, the need for micronutrients is much higher than other expectant mothers.
Nutritionally deficient pregnant women. This deficit is established on the basis of a blood test. For example, if the test showed a low level of hemoglobin, we can talk about a lack of iron and folic acid.

Which vitamins for pregnant women should be taken and how much

The most reliable way to find the vitamins that are right for you is to consult with a therapist or a gynecologist observing your pregnancy. The doctor will conduct an examination, ask you about your well-being, lifestyle, and issue a referral for the necessary tests. And based on this, he will recommend a complex that contains the correct dosage of the necessary substances.

If for some reason you cannot consult a doctor, WebMD medical resource experts recommend choosing a vitamin complex, the daily dose of which includes: