In developed countries, a varied and balanced diet generally covers the needs of pregnant women and avoids the vast majority of deficiencies. However, as soon as you want a child, it is recommended to take food supplements based on Vitamin B9 and, depending on the case, iron and Vitamin D.

Pregnancy is certainly the period during which the diet should be as balanced as possible to cover the nutritional needs of the mother and the unborn child and thus prevent them from any deficit causing more or less serious complications ( growth retardation in the uterus, spina bifida, anencephaly, pre-eclampsia, gestational diabetes, etc.)

For pregnant women, the need for vitamins, iron, calcium, iodine and Omega-3 increases markedly. This is the reason why many expectant mothers believe it is good to turn away from food supplements of vitamins and trace elements. However, the benefits of the latter on health have not been demonstrated for women in good health and whose diet is sufficient, varied and balanced. Supplementation would in fact be essential only for women in less developed countries, where the risk of undernourishment exists.

In developed countries, according to the recommendations of the High Authority for Health (HAS), only supplementation with folic acid (Vitamin B9) and Vitamin D is essential.

Vitamin D plays a major role in the mineralization of the fetal skeleton by increasing the capacity of the maternal intestine to absorb calcium. One third of its contribution comes from food and two thirds from sun exposure. Vitamin D is indeed synthesized by the skin under the action of ultraviolet rays.

This is why, to avoid calcium deficiencies in the newborn, vitamin D supplementation is systematically prescribed to pregnant women who live in regions with little sun, especially in northern European countries, in winter.

In France, INPES recommends oral vitamin D supplementation in the event of:

• Childbirth expected between March and June because the risk of hypovitaminosis is increased. Indeed, the intensity of solar radiation for an optimal production of vitamin D is only sufficient from June to October.
• Lack of sun exposure.
• Repeated and close pregnancies.

But of course, it is necessary to take a blood test beforehand to make sure of the deficiency in Vitamin D.

However, some doctors recommend that all pregnant women take Vitamin D from the 6th month of pregnancy and until term.

Vitamin B9 (also called folic acid or folate) is directly involved in the production of genetic material (including DNA) and the formation of the nervous system of the fetus.

During pregnancy, the need for Vitamins B9 is markedly increased and the risk of deficiency is real. This is why supplementation is essential. According to the PNNS (National Health Nutrition Program), it should be systematic from the start of pregnancy and even before conception, as far as possible.

Indeed, the development of the nervous system being very early in the fetus (between the 3rd and the 4th week of pregnancy), supplementation should ideally begin at least one month before conception. Which is not always obvious, of course. But, if you want to become pregnant, it is important to consider supplementation with Vitamin B9 to start it as quickly as possible. It will be continued during the first 3 months of pregnancy.

Iron allows red blood cells to capture oxygen in the lungs to transport it throughout the body of the pregnant woman and oxygenate the fetus via the placenta. During pregnancy, a woman’s iron needs are markedly increased due to the increase in her blood volume and the needs of the unborn baby, which she must also meet.

Lack of iron is common in women due to menstruation which induces significant blood loss. An iron deficiency results in great fatigue and exacerbated shortness of breath on exertion. It can cause premature delivery or hypotrophy (small baby).

During pregnancy, to avoid unnecessary iron supplementation, it is advisable to check the level of iron reserve by a simple blood test. Iron is indeed a powerful antioxidant whose overdose affects the tissues. Detection of a lack of iron on the other hand prevents any deficiency, especially in the event of close pregnancies.

In case of deficiency, iron in the form of medicine will be prescribed by the gynecologist, often from the fifth month of pregnancy.

If you do not want to follow your doctor’s recommendations and you are deficient in Vitamin D, Vitamin B9 or iron, you can of course boost your reserves by taking care to consume regularly and in sufficient quantities, foods that contain the most.

Vitamin D

Foods that contain the most:

• Combined oil (mixture of 4 oils) enriched with Vitamin D
• Herring
• Mackerel
• The salmon
• Trout
• Tuna in brine, canned

Recommendation: two-thirds of Vitamin D being synthesized by the skin under the effect of UVB rays, remember to expose yourself to the sun for ten minutes a day when possible. Discover the areas where the skin is the thinnest: the forearms, the neckline and the legs, when the weather permits.

Vitamin B9

Foods that contain the most:

• Dark green vegetables: spinach, chard, watercress, butter beans, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, broccoli, romaine lettuce, etc.
• Legumes: lentils (oranges, green, black), lentils, dried beans, broad beans, peas (split, chick, whole).
• Orange-colored fruits: oranges, clementines, tangerines, melon

recommendation: eat legumes at least every 2 days and try to choose the greenest vegetables possible!

Fer

Foods that contain the most:

• Offal: black pudding, kidneys and heart in particular. The liver should however be avoided (Vitamin A)
• Red meats: beef, veal, lamb and game
• Poultry: chicken, turkey, duck. Focus on the parts with the most blood supply such as the thighs
• Fish and seafood: sardines, herring or grilled mackerel, clams, periwinkles, mussels and cooked oysters.

Among the foods of plant origin:

• Algae: like sea lettuce and spirulina
• Legumes: red and white beans, chickpeas, split peas and lentils
• Condiments and spices: some are loaded with iron like thyme, cumin, curry and ginger

recommendation: To properly absorb iron from food, vitamin C is essential. Be sure to consume at each meal a source of iron associated with vegetables and / or fresh fruits and in particular, tomatoes, peppers, broccoli, oranges and other citrus fruits.