This is an automatically translated article.
During pregnancy, the body's need for calcium increases. So how much calcium do pregnant women need each day? Proper and reasonable calcium supplementation will help pregnant women less likely to experience osteoporosis.1. Why do pregnant women need calcium supplements during pregnancy?
Usually in people with calcium deficiency, it often causes muscle pain, osteoporosis, joint pain, back pain, ... Especially mothers who are pregnant. During pregnancy, calcium deficiency affects not only the mother but also the fetus. The most common symptoms are cramps, hypocalcemia, high blood pressure, back pain, severe convulsions,... For the fetus after birth with congenital rickets, short stature, bone deformities, ...
So how much calcium do pregnant women need each day? This depends on the stage. Specifically:
the first 3 months of pregnancy the need for calcium is about 800mg; In the second trimester of pregnancy, the calcium requirement is 1,000mg; The last 3 months of pregnancy and when breastfeeding will be 1,500mg. If you do not supplement the amount of calcium that the pregnancy requires, it will affect the bones of the mother and the fetus. This condition will be seen most in the last 3 months of pregnancy, accounting for 80%.
Therefore, adequate calcium supplementation is extremely necessary, helping to support the baby's growth, healthy bone formation and development. Serves for breast milk production after birth and reduces the risk of preeclampsia during pregnancy.
2. What are the harmful effects of calcium deficiency in pregnant women?
During pregnancy, about 30g of calcium is transferred from the mother's body to the fetus. Therefore, it is essential to supplement calcium in the right amount and in the right dose.
Calcium deficiency in pregnant women will lead to a series of consequences such as:
It is easy to increase blood pressure: How much calcium do pregnant women need to supplement each day? According to the results of experiments and clinical shows, pregnant women should start taking 2g of calcium every day at 15 weeks and after the 24th week of pregnancy, only take 1g. Regular maintenance will help keep your blood pressure below average throughout your pregnancy. Minimizing gestational hypertension. Decrease in blood calcium: In the post-pregnancy period, the need for calcium for bone and joint development of the fetus is greater. The umbilical cord secretes an amount of estrogen that interferes with the reabsorption of calcium by the bones in the mother's body, affecting the mother and the fetus. High levels of parathyroid hormone: When calcium in the mother's blood decreases, the secretion of parathyroid hormone also increases. Under the action of parathyroid hormone, phosphorus in bones dissolves, increasing the absorption of calcium in the intestinal tract to keep calcium levels in the blood. When parathyroid hormone is high, blood pressure increases. So if you get enough calcium during pregnancy. It is possible to slightly reduce the secretion of parathyroid hormone, making the blood pressure lower and maintain the most stable level.
3. How much calcium is needed during pregnancy according to each cycle?
Although calcium supplementation during pregnancy is very important. However, taking calcium supplements during pregnancy arbitrarily, without a doctor's prescription will be counterproductive and affect the mother and baby. Here are the important stages that you need to know:
In the first 3 months of pregnancy : At this stage, you need to be provided with about 50mg of calcium per day. Thus, in the first 3 months of pregnancy, pregnant women need to supplement about 800mg of calcium. You can drink 1-2 cups of milk a day, to provide enough calcium needs of the body. In the middle 3 months: This stage, you need to be provided with more calcium than the first phase. The process of calcium supplementation should not be delayed beyond 20 weeks of pregnancy. Because, this is the period of development and bone formation of the fetus. In the second trimester of pregnancy, pregnant women need about 1200mg of calcium. In the last 3 months of pregnancy: During the last 3 months of pregnancy, the bones of the fetus begin to stabilize. At this point, you need to be provided with 600mg - 1500mg of calcium per day. This ensures the comprehensive development of both the mother and the fetus in the womb. Therefore, to know how much calcium a pregnant woman needs to supplement each day and how much calcium is reasonable, it is necessary to have detailed instructions from a doctor. In addition, you can also get calcium from foods or sunbathing in the morning. This is to promote vitamin D synthesis, improving the rate of calcium absorption. Besides, you should also do light exercise to improve the functioning of bones and joints, improve the condition of bones.
4. Calcium supplements for pregnant women in what ways?
4.1. Foods rich in calcium
Daily foods contain a lot of calcium such as:
Milk and dairy products: Cheese, yogurt, cow's milk, goat's milk, ... If you are afraid of fat when pregnant, you can choose skim milk. Nonfat milk also contains 2% more calcium than whole milk; Beef: Contains a lot of calcium and iron; Chicken eggs, duck eggs; Group of aquatic products such as: Shrimp, crab, crab, mussels, clams, oysters, snails,...; Green vegetables such as: broccoli, kale, spinach, spinach... contain relatively high calcium and minerals. However, the amount of calcium in green vegetables is not as easily absorbed as in milk; Bean products: Soybeans, cove beans, peas, green beans ... are rich in calcium. According to statistics, every 110g of soybeans contains 400mg of calcium and is more absorbed into the body than milk.
4.2. Calcium supplements
In the case of women with low calcium levels. Calcium supplementation before and after birth is an important part. This helps prevent preeclampsia in pregnant women and those with a history of high blood pressure. In addition, pregnant women need to supplement how much calcium each day through the use of the drug should have the guidance of the doctor.
If it is necessary to supplement with calcium in the form of oral calcium tablets, it must be decided by a doctor and must be closely monitored total daily calcium intake. Calcium intake should not exceed 3g/day to avoid the risk of excess calcium; You should not take calcium and iron at the same time, which will limit calcium absorption. Take supplements a few hours apart between meals; When using calcium, it is recommended to use vitamin D to enhance the best absorption of calcium; The lines of calcium supplements are available in the form of capsules, effervescent tablets, tablets... often cause calcium deposition to create kidney stones, clear heat, and bladder stones. Therefore, calcium gluconate is often used now to avoid calcium deposition; Pregnant women should not supplement calcium with foods such as tea, cocoa, coffee, chocolate... because oxalate-containing foods will reduce calcium absorption. 5. What is the best time for pregnant women to supplement with calcium? When adding calcium, you need to pay attention to the following points to absorb the maximum amount of calcium needed:
It is best to drink calcium after a meal or lunch about 1 hour; It is recommended to use a combination of calcium with vitamins D and Mg. Should be taken in the morning because when there is sunlight, it will help absorb calcium many times more effectively; Calcium should not be taken in the evening, which can cause kidney stones and trouble sleeping; Split the amount of calcium supplement each day to enhance absorption; Calcium should not be taken with iron, zinc or synthetic supplements. If drinking, it should be taken at least 2 hours apart.
6. Notes when supplementing with calcium during pregnancy
Here are some important notes when supplementing calcium for pregnant women properly:
You need to avoid carbonated drinks, soft drinks, coffee and foods containing a lot of phosphoric acid. These substances are not good for the body but also promote the elimination of calcium from the body; Do not eat too salty: The use of too much salt during pregnancy affects calcium absorption and reduces the amount of calcium excreted; Limit the intake of foods high in fat because high fat content causes calcium deficiency. The fatty acid composition in the above foods will reduce the body's ability to absorb calcium; Some foods containing phytic acid such as unfermented powdered bamboo shoots, soybeans, onions... can greatly affect calcium absorption. The above article is some sharing on the issue of how much calcium pregnant women need each day. Hopefully, the information gathered above will help you have more knowledge during the pre- and post-pregnancy process. From there, know how to supplement the right amount of calcium and the right dose each day according to each cycle phase.
Please dial HOTLINE for more information or register for an appointment HERE. Download MyVinmec app to make appointments faster and to manage your bookings easily.
