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Answer
In my opinion, all vitamins and minerals are extremely vital to the
development of a new life. It would be wrong to assume that the only ones
worth taking are the ones played up in the media. The roles of each one
depend heavily on each other and that is why I don't believe there is one
vitamin or mineral more important than another. To me they are all equally
important, but we just hear more about one or the other in the news more
frequently so we assume that is what we should be taking the most of.
All doctors will have differing opinions on taking supplements. Some
say supplements are absolutely not needed, others don't see any
problems with them at all. If you are interested in taking a
multi-vitamin and mineral supplement here are the ingredients to look
for:
Vitamin A
Beta carotene
Vitamin D
Vitamin E
Vitamin B1
Vitamin B2
Niacin
Vitamin B6
Folic Acid
Vitamin B12
Vitamin C
Calcium
Chromium
Copper
Flouride
Iodine
Iron
Magnesium
Molybdenum
Selenium
Zinc
I would get in touch with the dietitian or nutritionist at your local
hospital and ask what supplement they recommend, or ask your
pharmacist. Your doctor may not be aware of the options out there, or
may think your diet should be adequate enough in terms of getting all
the nutrients you need. I think of supplements as just that. They are
in no way a replacement or substitute for healthy eating habits. They
are just there to fill in the gaps.
Now to address the caffeine issue. Caffeine is a controversial
chemical. I have yet to read a definitive article that says to never
touch it during pregnancy, but I find that most pregnant women do avoid
it to be on the safe side. The problems that may be associated with
caffeine are spontaneous abortions, low birth weight, and intrauterine
growth retardation. The spontaneous abortions are more likely to occur
with ingestion of 300mg or more of caffeine daily. (That is considered
heavy usage.) Women who take in that amount are more likely to be
smokers, not as educated and over-all participating in not-so-healthy
lifestyles. All those extra factors contribute to the possibility of
miscarriage, low birth weight and intrauterine growth retardation. In
my opinion, I would try and keep caffeine use down to as minimal as
possible. I also think that if you won't miss it, then just cut it out
completely. I believe that during pregnancy it is better to err on the
side of caution. Your baby deserves the absolute best start to life
possible, and it is up to you to provide the safest environment.
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