Eating a healthy diet during pregnancy is not just enough for you. At this time when you are holding one more life in your womb. If you are pregnant, you need to take folic acid, vitamin D, Calcium etc. These are the supplements for pregnancy in India.

Pregnant women should have to take certain supplements for pregnancy in India, such as –

• Folic acid
  

Folic acid is important for pregnancy. Because it helps in prevention of any kind of birth defects. Folate prevents neural tube defects such as spina bifida in baby.

Each pregnant woman should eat- green leafy vegetables (these leafy vegetables are natural form of folic acid). Folic acid is one of the most significant supplements. Which one must take during her pregnancy.

Those couples, who are trying or planning to be conceived, they should begin this supplement right from the moment and should continue throughout the pregnancy.

It is recommended to take 400 micrograms of folic acid each day.

Dose of Folic Acid:

Some of the women, who have high risk of getting a neural tube defect, they by the suggestion of fertility expert takes higher doze of folic acid- 5 mg or if the female has her BMI more than 30, then also 5 mg of folic acid is beneficial (until the female reaches her 13^th week of pregnancy).

Omega 3 fatty acid

Omega 3 and omega 6 fatty acid play significant role for the development of baby’s eyes and brain. This is important for baby’s neural development.

Omega 3

This is the reason, why fertility experts advice to the pregnant woman to eat at least two portions of fish each week (in oily fish also fatty acid is present).

Vitamin D

Vitamin D regulates the quantity of phosphate and calcium within the body that are required to keep our bones, teeth and muscles healthy. Those females, who are pregnant, are advised to have the supplements of vitamin D- 10 micrograms of vitaminD each day.

Usually we get Vitamin D from the sun and since, vitamin d is found in a small number of foods, experts suggest having vitamin D supplement. Vitamin D is in present in some food like eggs, red meat, oily fish such as herring, salmon, mackerel etc)

• Calcium
  

Calcium also comes as the mandatory factor during pregnancy. Because calcium helps the baby’s bone, teeth, nerves and heart to develop and grow. And calcium is best found in the dairy products such as- milk, yoghurt, cheese, tofu, soya drinks with added calcium etc. Pregnant women should have these products daily in the days of pregnancy, like one glass of milk, intake of the cheese etc.

Those women, who avoid these dairy products, have to take a supplement of it.

• Iron
  

During the days of pregnancy, Iron is most important. Pregnant woman needs extra iron in order to make new blood cells for the growth of a baby. Those woman, who have taken iron less before pregnancy, she must have to eat iron rich foods throughout the days of pregnancy. Red meat is one of the best sources of iron for the pregnant ladies. Other iron containing foods are beans, eggs, wholegrain bread, green vegetables etc.

If the woman is found low in iron, then expert advices to take iron supplement during her pregnancy.

What else?

Apart of these all the important factors, which has been mentioned above some of the remaining factors are also there like – Vitamin B12, Iodine, vitamin C (such as oranges, strawberries, potatoes, and broccoli). Eat healthy, as there is one life in your womb, which is growing slowly and gradually, so at this stage, you need to take care of yourself and your baby as well. Have a happy days ahead!