During pregnancy, mothers need many important vitamins and minerals, one of which is vitamin C. Vitamin C is safe for pregnant women, because it is useful for maintaining the immune system while helping the development of the baby in the womb.
However, also pay attention to the correct dosage so that pregnant women’s nutritional needs are met properly.
Check out the complete explanation in this article.
Benefits of vitamin C for pregnant women
Vitamin C is a water-soluble vitamin that the body needs every day, including pregnant women.
Vitamin C can help protect body cells from free radicals and repair damaged tissue.
Unfortunately, the body cannot produce and store vitamin C by itself.
Therefore, pregnant women need to consume foods that contain vitamin C.
The following are various benefits of vitamin C for pregnant women:
1. Maintain the immune system
Pregnant women are included in a vulnerable group whose immune system is lower than those who are healthy and not pregnant. The benefit of vitamin C for pregnant women is to maintain and improve the immune system.
Vitamin C contains antioxidants which can protect the body from the dangers of free radicals.
Studies show that adequate intake of vitamin C can increase antioxidant levels in the blood by up to 30%.
This helps the body’s natural defenses fight inflammation.
2. Prevent iron deficiency anemia
Pregnant women are susceptible to anemia due to iron deficiency.
Generally, around 52% of pregnant women experience iron deficiency anemia. The way to overcome this is by taking pregnancy vitamins and adequate nutritional intake from food.
Doctors will usually prescribe iron. Apart from iron, vitamin C can also help prevent anemia in pregnant women. This is because vitamin C can help absorb iron.
3. Maintain blood pressure balance
Another benefit of vitamin C for pregnant women is to maintain blood pressure levels.
This is important, because high blood pressure during pregnancy can trigger preeclampsia. In addition, hypertension also increases the risk of heart disease, placental abruption and premature birth.
There is research that shows that vitamin C can help lower blood pressure, whether in people who have hypertension or not.
4. Helps fetal development
Not only for pregnant women, vitamin C is also beneficial for babies in the womb. Vitamin C during pregnancy is useful for increasing collagen production. This helps the growth and development of the baby’s organs, such as the baby’s bones and teeth.
Apart from that, vitamin C is also claimed to strengthen placental blood vessels. This can help deliver more oxygen to the fetus and lower the risk of placental abruption.
What is the dose of vitamin C for pregnant women?
During pregnancy, the recommended dose or intake of vitamin C is around 85 mg per day from food.
Launch The American College of Obstetricians & Gynecologistspregnant women can get vitamin C intake from pregnant women’s vitamins and several foods that contain vitamin C, such as:
- Broccoli
- Spinach
- Kale
- Tomato
- Berries
- Orange
- Kiwi
- Please
However, pregnant women are not advised to take additional vitamin C supplements, because consuming foods that contain vitamin C is actually enough.
However, if you want to improve your immune system due to unpredictable weather or experiencing flu symptoms, you should consult a doctor first before deciding to buy vitamins.
Remember to continue to meet your daily nutritional and nutritional needs during pregnancy as recommended by your doctor.
Even though the signs of vitamin C deficiency are not obvious, they can occur. For example, long wound healing, decreased immune system, or bleeding gums.
