Nutrition during pregnancy Latvia eng

9.  

Vitamins,  minerals  and  other  food  supplements  during  pregnancy  

A  balanced,  healthy  diet  before  conception  and  during  pregnancy  provides  all  the  nutrients  that  

are  required  except  for  folic  acid  and  iodine.  A  balanced  diet  provides  thousands  of  biologically  

active   substances.   No   special   dietary   products   or   food   supplements   are   required.   Food  

supplements   contain   only   a   small   part   of   the   required   micronutrients   and   therefore   cannot  

make   up   for   a   balanced   diet;   moreover,   there   is   a   risk   for   overdosing,   especially   if   several  

formulations   are   used   during   pregnancy.   The   vitamin   and   mineral   formulations   available   at  

pharmacies   vary   greatly   in   both   their   content   and   the   quantities   of   the   agents.   When  

recommending  formulations,  health  care  specialists  should  be  aware  of  the  quantities  of  active  

substances   that   they   contain;   frequently,   so-­‐called   “pregnancy   vitamin   formulations”   contain  

an  excessive  dose  of  retinol  but  insufficient  amounts  of  folic  acid,  iodine  and  other  nutrients  

required   by   an   expectant   mother.   Formulations   indicated   for   use   during   pregnancy   should  

contain   no   retinol   but   suitable   amounts   of   folic   acid   and   other   nutrients.   If   the   expectant  

mother  has  insufficient  dietary  calcium  intake,  e.g.  because  she  consumes  only  small  quantities  

of  dairy  products,  she  should  take  a  calcium  supplement.  Retinol  and  vitamin  A  supplements  

should  not  be  taken!    

A  doctor  should  make  assessments  case  by  case  when  deciding  on  the  multivitamin  and  mineral  

formulations  to  prescribe.  Some  pregnant  women  may  require  food  supplements  if  their  intake  

of   nutrients   from   food   is   insufficient   or   if   they   have   specific   nutritional   needs.   Supplements  

(multivitamin  and  mineral  formulations)  may  be  justified  for:  

•   women  who  are  underweight  or  have  other  nutrition  disorders  (e.g.  anaemia,  insufficient  

fetal  weight  gain,  inadequate  diet);  

•   women  with  a  background  of  addiction  (drugs  and  other  harmful  substances);  

•   adolescents;  

•   several  consecutive  pregnancies  with  a  birth  interval  of  less  than  2  years;  

•   women  with  a  history  of  newborns  with  a  low  birth  weight;  and  

•   multi-­‐fetal  pregnancies.