Supplements during pregnancy
We advise all women to take folic acid (400 micrograms) and vitamin D during pregnancy (15 micrograms or 600 international units). Folate is especially important in the beginning of pregnancy and therefore it is good to take it as a supplement before pregnancy if you are planning to have a baby. It is estimated that women in Iceland consume about 70% of the recommended daily dose of folate from food. You can stop taking folic acid after the first 12 weeks, but then it is important to eat a folate-rich diet (vegetables, fruits, nuts and beans).
If you eat a very varied and nutritious diet, you usually do not need to take more supplements during pregnancy.
However, depending on the composition of your diet it may be helpful to take more supplements during pregnancy:
If you do not consider yourself to be consuming fish three times a week, it may be helpful to take fish oil which is a good source of DHA (omega-3 fatty acids).
If your diet is not varied and nutritious then it may be helpful to take a multivitamin. However, you are advised not to take more than the recommended daily dose. If you decide to take fish oil, take a multivitamin without vitamin A so that you do not exceed the recommended daily dose of vitamin A, which can adversely affect the development of the baby in the womb. Also, remember that liver paté and liver sausage contain large amounts of vitamin A and its consumption is not recommended during pregnancy.
If you do not consume dairy products, then it may be helpful to take calcium tablets. Calcium is rarely found in multivitamins but we advise you to read the labels carefully. The recommended daily dose is 900 mg daily during pregnancy.
Pregnant women are generally not advised to take natural and dietary supplements as we simply do not know enough about their effects on pregnancy and the baby in the womb. We advise you to discuss this further with your doctor, nutritionist or midwife if you are considering using them during pregnancy.