Caring for mother and child during pregnancy
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 The health information contained herein is provided for general informational and educational purposes only and is not intended to replace discussions with a healthcare provider. All decisions regarding patient care must be made with a healthcare provider, considering the unique characteristics of each patient.
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Nutrition before and during pregnancyWhen planning a pregnancy, it is important that you consult a healthcare professional, such as a physician, a pharmacist or a dietitian to review some of your lifestyle habits (e.g. smoking, drinking, caffeine use, and eating habits). In fact, these could have a significant effect on your pregnancy outcome. Ideally, you should modify your lifestyle habits a few months prior to becoming pregnant, to sustain them throughout your pregnancy. It is never too late to make improvements to your lifestyle. Even minor changes may have significant benefits. Healthy eating and lifestyle habits before and during pregnancy contribute to your baby's growth and development. Besides, the physiological changes you are going to experience call for extra energy and an increased need of essential nutrients such as folic acid, iron and calcium. Based on your health assessment and stages of preconception or pregnancy, your health professional should advise you on your specific needs for multivitamin supplementation.
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For your reading:Pregnant or Trying? Make sure to take your supplements! Prenatal Multivitamin-Mineral Supplementation: Minimizing Adverse Events Health Canada: Folic Acid and Birth Defect Women of childbearing age:"All women who could become pregnant and those who are pregnant or breastfeeding need a multivitamin containing folic acid every day. Pregnant women need to ensure that their multivitamin also contains iron. A healthcare professional can help you find the multivitamin that's right for you."Ref.: Eating Well with Canada's Food Guide - PDF (1.755 Mb) See page 5 |