Guidelines for calcium supplements for pregnant women during pregnancy

The article was professionally consulted by Doctor Nguyen Thi Hong On - Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology, Vinmec Phu Quoc International General Hospital.

During pregnancy, pregnant women often have calcium deficiency but do not know how to supplement. The following are guidelines to help supplement calcium for pregnant women during pregnancy.

In pregnant women, calcium plays an extremely important role in the formation of bones and teeth and ensures the development of the fetus. During pregnancy, calcium requirements increase:
For the first 3 months, calcium needs fall around 800mg/day Second trimester of pregnancy, the need is 1,000mg/day In the last 3 months of pregnancy and When breastfeeding, the amount of calcium needed increases to 1,500mg/day. During pregnancy, although the mother's body has partially broken down the calcium compounds in the bones and released into the blood to meet the increased demand, this response is often not enough. In fact, pregnant women need more calcium than they can and the need for calcium supplements for pregnant women increases as the pregnancy progresses. If the necessary amount of calcium is not met, the fetus cannot avoid adverse effects on later development such as: growth retardation, congenital rickets, wheezing, bone deformities, ...
During lactation, if calcium is not supplemented, breast milk will be of poor quality. At that time, in 100ml of breast milk, there is not enough 34mg of calcium. Newborns with calcium deficiency will have manifestations such as being easily startled, convulsing, or crying and sleeping restlessly. These manifestations become more and more obvious, often appearing after a few days, weeks or even a month after birth.
Calcium supplements for pregnant women also have an important meaning for the health of pregnant women. When calcium deficiency, pregnant women often experience numbness in the legs, fatigue, and insomnia. When breastfeeding, the mother's body is weak, or sweaty, prone to back pain, shoulder fatigue, joint pain. A long-term calcium deficiency after many births is a prerequisite for osteoporosis when mothers enter menopause.

The most effective method to supplement calcium for pregnant women is through nutritious natural foods. To supplement calcium and the best nutrients for the baby, you should breastfeed your baby.

Calcium is abundant in milk and dairy products
Calcium can be provided through daily meals with a number of foods such as: Seafood dishes (including shrimp, crab, oysters, fish), vegetables (including lettuce, cabbage, kale, celery). In addition, vitamin K in green vegetables is a factor in the formation of osteocalcin, which helps to accumulate calcium in the bones. However, the amount of calcium supplemented through meals is difficult to measure accurately.
Normally, our body only absorbs about 20% of calcium through food, the rest will be excreted. In addition, pregnant women need to pay attention to balance other groups of substances in the diet to avoid nutritional imbalance.
Besides, should add calcium from milk, yogurt and dairy products. Yogurt, in addition to its digestive benefits, can also provide calcium, vitamin D and other essential nutrients. An average 100g can of yogurt contains about 110mg of calcium. Vitamin D in yogurt acts as a "companion", helping calcium to be better absorbed into the body. To help the body absorb the maximum amount of calcium in yogurt, pregnant women should eat yogurt before going to bed.

Calcium is found in daily foods, but also in other supplements, and some antacids for the treatment of digestive diseases. Therefore, pregnant women need to pay attention that the amount of calcium added to the body should not exceed 2,500mg/day to avoid overdose, causing hypercalcemia. If it is necessary to supplement calcium for pregnant women in the form of oral drugs, what drugs and dosages must be decided by the doctor. Because this requires close medical supervision. In women with pre-pregnancy calcium deficiency, calcium supplementation also helps prevent the risk of preeclampsia, especially in those in the high-risk group for hypertension. Usually, when supplementing with calcium for pregnant women, doctors will prescribe vitamin D to enhance calcium absorption. Interactions between iron and calcium can occur when supplemented at the same time. Therefore, doctors often recommend that pregnant women take these two nutrients a few hours apart instead of simultaneously. For convenience, calcium can be supplemented with meals (from food) and iron tablets can be taken between meals. When supplementing calcium for pregnant women, note that it should not be combined with foods such as chocolate, tea, and cocoa. Because these interactions may occur will reduce calcium absorption.

According to the National Institute of Nutrition, foods containing a lot of calcium are milk, dark green leafy vegetables, shrimps, fish that eat bones. Calcium content (mg) in 100g of edible food:
In 100g of spinach contains 341mg of Calcium In 100g of skimmed milk powder contains 1,400 mg of Calcium In 100g of spinach contains 310mg of Calcium In 100g of copper shrimp contains 1,120 mg Calcium In 100g Jute Vegetables contain 182 mg Calcium In 100g Cheese contains 760 mg Calcium In 100g Kale spinach contains 169 mg Calcium In 100g Duck egg yolk contains 146 mg Calcium In 100g Water spinach contains 100 mg Calcium In 100g of Crab contains 141 mg of Calcium. Supplementing calcium for pregnant women is extremely necessary, but avoid exceeding 2,500mg/day. Calcium supplementation for pregnant women through a reasonable diet with foods rich in natural calcium such as fish, shrimp, fresh cow's milk, yogurt and dairy products, soybeans and preparations from soybeans, water spinach, amaranth... are recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) for everyone in general, especially pregnant women.