Natural Remedies Vs. Prenatal Vitamin Supplementation

During pregnancy, the importance of nutrition cannot be overstated. Yet, for many pregnant women, it can be hard to know which techniques will best help them achieve the most healthy and successful pregnancy possible. There are a lot of options to choose from, and unless you’ve done this before, it's likely you won’t know what works well for you. Choosing between natural remedies and prenatal vitamins during pregnancy can be frustrating - lucky we’re here to help you make sense of it all.

Natural remedies and prenatal vitamins can each have their advantages during pregnancy. That being said, there is much more research and evidence into the effectiveness of prenatal vitamins than can be found for natural remedies. In reality, the results of nutritional techniques tend to vary between people, so any decisions concerning nutrition during pregnancy should always be made under supervision from healthcare professionals to ensure the best health outcomes for both mother and baby.

In this article, we’ll discuss why both natural remedies and prenatal vitamins are popular choices for mothers seeking a healthy pregnancy and consider the best approach to maximising the health of both mother and baby in this crucial period.

Introduction

Natural remedies and prenatal vitamin supplements serve a wide variety of purposes during pregnancy. Primarily, while natural remedies target relief from adverse symptoms during pregnancy, prenatal vitamins aim to support the health of the mother and the development of the growing baby. 

Naturally, all mothers want what's best for their children, and a healthy pregnancy can help mothers provide all that their babies need from day one. With this in mind, many expectant mothers might consider incorporating natural remedies and prenatal vitamins into their pregnancy plans in search of favourable health conditions throughout the pregnancy period. But which approach is best?

And how can you make sure you’re doing the right thing for your baby?

Nutrition in pregnancy

Though it may seem relatively simple, the importance of nutrition in pregnancy is not to be overlooked. In addition to maintaining the health of both mother and baby, maternal nutrition has been shown to impact the health of offspring throughout their life and contributes to establishing less risks of countless chronic diseases further down the line.

While all nutrients are important in maintaining good overall health, some are considered particularly important during pregnancy, and contribute to specific developmental processes in the growing baby, they include; folate and iron.

Folate

Is a naturally occurring soluble form of the important vitamin B9. Like all other B vitamins (there are 8 in total), folate helps the body convert food, including carbohydrates, fats, and proteins, into energy sources that can be utilised by the body. During pregnancy, folate mainly helps to prevent neural tube defects and serious abnormalities of the foetal brain and spinal cord.

Iron

Is an essential micronutrient that is particularly important in making haemoglobin, a vital component of red blood cells. Iron also supports the proper development of the placenta and helps to ensure that the baby is supplied with enough blood throughout pregnancy. However iron deficiency is surprisingly common and is characterised by a low number of healthy red blood cells in the body's circulation - commonly known as anaemia. 

Prenatal vitamin supplementation

Prenatal vitamins are a specific type of dietary supplement specially formulated to support the nutritional needs of pregnant women and their developing babies. Widely available over-the-counter, these vitamins typically contain higher levels of those nutrients proven to be particularly important throughout the pregnancy period and aim to bridge the gap between nutritional intake and demand.

Advantages of prenatal vitamins

Prenatal vitamins offer several advantages that contribute to the health of both mother and baby during pregnancy.

• Foetal Development - These prenatal vitamins include essential nutrients required for the healthy development of a foetus in utero, including folic acid, iron, calcium, and the vitamins D, B12, and C
• Maternal Health - Pregnancy dramatically increases nutritional demand for mothers. Vitamin supplements can help mothers meet this demand, ensuring they are getting an adequate supply to support their health
• Simplicity - Whereas changing your lifestyle or diet to meet the elevated demand for nutrients can be difficult for some people, prenatal vitamins can be a relatively straightforward route to ensuring nutritional demands are met
• Safety - Over-the-counter vitamin products are tested rigorously for safe consumption. While this is still no guarantee of a positive reaction, it might nonetheless be somewhat reassuring to know that these products are backed by thorough analysis and testing. What’s more, prenatal vitamin supplementation often comes recommended by healthcare professionals, who can be trusted to make an accurate assessment of your condition and to take into consideration your health status in making this decision
• Specificity - Particular vitamin requirements are often highlighted following the assessment of an individual's nutritional state. Using this information, it is possible to tailor vitamin supplements towards filling these gaps

Potential drawbacks

Though they are used by many during pregnancy, prenatal vitamins might not be the best answer for everyone, and it is therefore important to consider the potential drawbacks of prenatal vitamin supplementation.

• Nausea - Some components of prenatal vitamins have been known to cause undesirable symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, and digestive discomfort, especially during the first trimester of pregnancy, when morning sickness is most common
• Overconsumption - Too much of one vitamin can be harmful during pregnancy. Excess vitamin A intake can lead to liver damage in the mother, as well as serious developmental delay and birth defects in the baby. Similarly, too much vitamin D can cause premature labour and foetal hypercalcemia
• Adverse Reactions - Like vitamin D aids in calcium absorption, some constituents of prenatal vitamins can interact with each other, and with other medications that the mother might be taking. These interactions are not always wanted and can cause serious side effects

Natural remedies

Natural remedies can include a wide range of approaches, such as herbal remedies, lifestyle changes, and dietary alterations. These techniques focus on utilising natural methods to help manage uncomfortable symptoms associated with pregnancy and to support the overall health and well-being of both mother and baby throughout this period.

Diet and nutrition

Though it may seem like a relatively simple consideration in this age of advanced medicine, dietary nutrition still plays a huge part in achieving good health. Nutritional requirements are now very well characterised, and there is lots of guidance available to help people make healthy food choices. 

Whole foods, such as fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean proteins, are loaded with nutrients and vitamins essential for maintaining bodily health, and for ensuring proper development of a growing baby. Produced in nature, these foods contain a careful balance of both macronutrients and micronutrients and can be considered a relatively risk-free route towards successful nutritional management. 

That being said, there are many reasons why it might be difficult for someone to meet their nutritional targets through diet alone, especially as nutritional demand becomes dramatically elevated during pregnancy. Some examples include pre-existing medical conditions, multiple pregnancies, and dietary restrictions e.g. coeliac, vegans.

Herbal teas

Herbal teas have been used for centuries as natural remedies, yet their effectiveness often comes under scrutiny, and several factors must be considered when choosing what is right for you. 

There are several herbal teas on the market today that are generally deemed safe for consumption during pregnancy, and that have been seen to be useful in providing pregnant women with much-needed relief from a variety of pregnancy symptoms. Ginger tea, peppermint tea, chamomile tea and lemon balm tea are considered among the best to consume during pregnancy, but should always be approached with caution. These teas are most often associated with providing relief from maternal symptoms, such as nausea, vomiting, stomach pain, heartburn and anxiety. 

Some herbal teas and supplements contain harmful compounds, and should therefore be avoided during pregnancy. For example, black cohosh, a member of the buttercup family often used to ease pain associated with menstrual cramps, has been found to cause menstrual contractions, which puts you at risk of inducing preterm labour.

Considerations

Some natural remedies have been passed down through generations, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they are the best option during pregnancy. 

Some herbs and supplements can interact with other compounds in the body, including medications that may be taken by the mother, which can sometimes lead to detrimental effects on health, such as elevated blood pressure, and heart failure.

Unfortunately, there is not much research into the effects of using natural remedies, such as herbal teas, during pregnancy. This can make people unsure of their use, particularly as this decision has the potential to impact pregnancy so dramatically. As research accumulates, we’ll likely see the effects of natural remedies explored in much more detail.

Summary

Pregnancy is a challenging period for the body and mind, so it stands to reason that mothers should want to do all they can to maintain good health, for both themselves and their babies. 

Prenatal vitamin supplements can be helpful for some people during pregnancy but can also lead to dangerous side effects if used wrongly.

Natural remedies can also provide some relief to pregnant women, but however lack scientific backing, hence has the potential to cause harm if used carelessly. 

It is important to appreciate that the relative success of particular techniques will vary hugely between people and that the best results will likely come from a combination of efforts tailored to suit your particular needs. The best thing you can do is to weigh up the options available and make informed decisions in the best interest of you, and your baby's health.