5 Important vitamins to be consumed by pregnant woman .

 Vitamins are organic compounds needed in small amounts that your body can't make for itself.

Essential vitamins 

Iodine 

use ;
Iodine is considered an essential mineral for our bodies. It’s particularly important during pregnancy. That’s because iodine intake during pregnancy is linked to brain development. body needs iodine to make thyroid hormones

Since your body produces thyroid hormones on an ongoing basis, all children and adults need to consume iodine regularly. In addition, pregnant people need higher amounts to support the developing fetus.

Iodine deficiency 

iodine deficiency gives rise to hypothyroidism (a condition in which the body can't make enough thyroid hormones). , symptoms of which are extreme fatigue, goiter ( the thyroid progressively enlarges (develops a goiter) mental slowing, depression, weight gain, and low basal body temperatures.

Pregnancy-related issues that iodine deficiency can cause include:

• preterm delivery
• congenital abnormalities in newborns
• miscarriages

Foods rich in iodine

1)Eggs

2) Beef liver

• 3) Table salts labeled “iodized”
• 
  
• 4) Dairy (milk, cheese, yogurt)
• 
  

5)seaweed

vegetables  high in iodine

  cabbage,

 broccoli

 cauliflower 

 brussels sprouts

Test of iodine deficiency ;

• Blood test: This is a simple and accurate test for iodine levels in the body. However, it takes more time to read than a urine test.
• Iodine patch test: The iodine patch test is a test where doctors paint a patch of iodine on your skin and check how it looks 24 hours later. For those who are not iodine deficient, the patch fades no sooner than 24 hours.
• Iodine loading test: This test measures how much iodine you excrete in your urine over a 24-hour period. It’s not the fastest test; nor is it the most convenient.

2)folate

The nutrient is crucial during early pregnancy to reduce the risk of birth defects of the brain and spine. Folate (vitamin B-9) is important in red blood cell formation and for healthy cell growth and function.

Types of folate can include

• Dihydrofolate (DHF)
• Tetrahydrofolate (THF)
• 5, 10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (5, 10-Methylene-THF)
• 5-methyltetrahydrofolate (5-Methyl-THF or 5-MTHF)

folate deficiency   symptoms 

• paresthesia, or pins and needles
• a red, sore tongue

food contains folate 

• beef liver
• fortified cereals
• Sunflower seeds
• Seafood
• Eggs
• Pasta
• enriched bread flour, pasta, rice, and cornmeal
• vegetables, especially Brussels sprouts, dark leafy greens, and asparagus
• Products made from a kind of flour called corn masa, like tortillas, tortilla chips, taco shells, tamales and pupusas
• White rice
• Citrus fruits, like oranges and grapefruit
• fruits and fruit juices, especially oranges and orange juice
• beans, peas, and nuts, such as kidney beans, black-eyed peas, and peanuts.

When should a pregnant woman start taking folic acid?

The best way to reduce the risk of your baby developing a neural tube defect is to take daily folic acid supplements from 12 weeks before conception until at least 12 weeks of pregnancy.

3)iron


4)vitamin D

Vitamin D is a steroid vitamin from a group of fat-soluble prohormones. Vitamin D and pregnancy are important together.
All pregnant women should take a 10 microgram (or 400 IU) supplement of vitamin D each day .Daily prenatal vitamins containing Vitamin D may not be enough to treat a deficiency during pregnancy.

food that contains vitamins 

eggs 

 tablespoon cod liver oil: 1,360 IU (34 mcg)

 3 ounces cooked rainbow trout (farmed): 654 IU (16.2 mcg)

oily fish (salmon and sardines, for example)

red meat

breakfast cereals, fat spreads and non-dairy milk alternatives, but the amount added to these products can vary and might only be small.  

5)calcium 

Calcium absorption during pregnancy is mediated by changes in maternal calcitropic hormones
calcium rich foods .Calcium homeostasis is a complex process involving calcium and three calcitropic hormones—parathyroid hormone, calcitonin and 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1, 25(OH)2D). Total serum concentrations fall during pregnancy due to hemodilution. This fall mainly occurs in albumin bound fraction of the total calcium and due to fall in serum albumin. Ionized calcium levels do not differ from that in non-pregnant women

• Calcium-fortified orange juice: 349 mg per 1 cup

• Canned sardines with bones: 325 mg per 3 ounces
• Cheddar cheese: 307 mg per 1 ½ ounces
• Skim milk: 299 mg per 8 ounces
• American cheese
• Feta cheese
• Cottage cheese