ILLUSTRATION OF PREGNANT WOMAN. VITAMINS AND MINERALS. ILLUSTRATION OF PREGNANT WOMAN. VITAMINS AND MINERALS.

Vegan Prenatal Vitamins for You and Your Baby

A lot of women consider whether or not they should take prenatal vitamin. The answer is always, and undoubtedly, yes. Prenatal vitamins deliver all of the essential nutrients both you and your baby will need. It’s good to keep an eye out for the big nutrient-listed names such as vitamin C, vitamin E, vitamin A, vitamin B12, selenium1, folic acid, iron, iodine, calcium, and zinc. These are all compounded essentials because your body is set up to act as a home for a growing fetus, and the stronger you build that home the safer your baby will be.

Some of the benefits of prenatal vitamins include

Iron

Iron is an essential nutrient for your baby, but most importantly for you. Two key sources of iron many people think of are leafy greens and red meat and prenatal vitamins pack the punch of iron you and your baby need. Why do you need this? Because iron aids in oxygen and blood supply, which help to contribute to how your baby grows and develops properly in the womb. Without enough oxygen in the blood, the baby’s brain will develop slower and can become underdeveloped. However, something not to overlook is that, as a mother-to-be, you can become anemic2. As your child grows in the womb you will naturally give it most of your iron, so it’s very important that you make up for what you’ll lose.

Bone development

You want your baby to have healthy, strong bones and teeth. Vitamin D and calcium are the main contents required in vitamins to meet these needs and prenatal vitamins act as a way to deliver the necessary nutrients for a baby’s brain development and bone development, including strong teeth.

Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Omega-3 fatty acids are directly correlated with stronger brain development, which is why we’re told to eat a lot of fish. But you can still get the benefits of Omega-3s even if you’re vegan. Vegan prenatal vitamins will oftentimes contain plenty of Omega-33s for your baby. Just look for it on the label to ensure that it’s coming from a non-animal source.

Folic acid

Folic acid contributes to the fetus’s brain and spinal cord development, which is one of the first things to develop during pregnancy. Having enough folic acid is a key way to ensure your baby develops properly and is able to fully function down the line.

If you are nutrient deficient already, these vitamins will protect you from exasperating an existing situation. Think of it this way: your baby will take as much as it needs from you, whether you have it or not. So if you’re running at 50 percent, your baby will still take 100 percent of what it needs to grow, which will only deplete your existing levels. When you’re pregnant, you want your levels to be over 100 percent so that you remain healthy, strong, and stable as your baby grows the same. You’re not just feeding yourself anymore, you need to consume nutrients for two.

Choose vegan prenatal vitamins as a better nutrition source for you and your baby. Rather than take any ordinary prenatal vitamin, vegan prenatal vitamins are oftentimes healthier and take a more holistic approach to prenatal care, with ingredients that are 100% natural. But vegan prenatal vitamins can be enjoyed by both vegans and non-vegans alike and act as an excellent choice for growing babies or babies to be. They have a strong focus on a nutrient-rich delivery of products, and the trusted brands eliminate excess chemicals or unnecessary substances such as animal by-products.

Animal by-products come in different forms and can be mistaken for vegan-friendly when, in fact, it’s merely mislabeled to misinform you. This is especially true with soft gel and capsule casing. There are certain things to look out for in vegan prenatal vitamins—gelatin, magnesium stearate comes in both plant-sourced and animal-sourced (such as beef or chicken), bee products, carmine 4is the red-4 dye that you’ll see in a lot of foods and it’s actually an insect, and lanolin which is derived from sheep’s wool and listed under vitamin D.

So, when should you take prenatal vitamins? Most doctors will recommend three months before you plan to get pregnant. Of course, pregnancy isn’t always easy to predict. Pregnancy can come unexpectedly, or months after we begin trying, all dependent on your age. But three months prior to hopeful inception is like building a home before you expect to move in. The homier it is, the safer it feels, is the better you will live and thrive in the environment that you set up. Your womb is the baby’s home, and you are the designer ready to set it up for move-in. 

Then, once your little loved one is born, if you decide to breastfeed your newborn, continue to take the prenatal vitamins to maintain nutrients for both you and your baby. 

Enjoy this exciting time in your life and tackle it with confidence knowing your health can be made better with a simple vegan prenatal vitamin once a day.

  1. Hariharan, Sneha, and Selvakumar Dharmaraj. “Selenium and selenoproteins: It’s role in regulation of inflammation.” Inflammopharmacology 28 (2020): 667-695. ↩︎
  2. Salokhiddinovna, Xalimova Yulduz. “Anemia of Chronic Diseases.” Research Journal of Trauma and Disability Studies 2.12 (2023): 364-372. ↩︎
  3. Djuricic, Ivana, and Philip C. Calder. “Beneficial outcomes of omega-6 and omega-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids on human health: An update for 2021.” Nutrients 13.7 (2021): 2421. ↩︎
  4. Chowdhury, Mir Ferdous, et al. “Current treatment technologies and mechanisms for removal of indigo carmine dyes from wastewater: A review.” Journal of Molecular Liquids 318 (2020): 114061. ↩︎

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Icy Health Editorial Team

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