Calcium During Pregnancy 

A nutritious diet is important at all times but it becomes all the more important when the woman is pregnant. A baby that has been well-nourished at the natal stage will be stronger and there will be less health problems later in life. 

Every pregnant woman should keep the fact in mind that the fetus is totally dependent on their diet. Thus, it is very vital that you indulge in healthy eating. There are many nutrients which you require during pregnancy. Here, let us understand the role and importance of calcium. 

Role of Calcium During Pregnancy 

As we all know, calcium is very essential for the development of bones but it has other functions too. Calcium is a macro mineral and is required by the body in large quantities. Here check out how calcium helps in your pregnancy:

• A growing fetus requires calcium for the normal development of its skeleton and uses calcium available in the mother’s body.

• Healthy growth of baby’s teeth also depends on calcium.

• Calcium is needed for proper contracting and relaxing of muscles.

• It is necessary for developing a healthy heart and a regular heart rhythm.

• The baby’s blood clotting ability is also affected by calcium.

Besides, normal functioning of the nervous system is also based on calcium as it has an influence on transmission of nerve impulses.

Impact of Calcium on Mother

If for some reason your intake of calcium is low and not sufficient, the fetus will not suffer. Calcium reserves from the mother’s body will be used. In short, this means that the mother’s bones will be depleted of calcium leading to weak bones. In other words a mother’s bone density will be reduced and she will become prone to osteoporosis later in life. Proper levels of calcium even help the expectant mother in reducing muscular cramps

Absorption of calcium from the mother’s diet increases in the later two trimesters of pregnancy. In addition to this calcium reserves are built up in the mother’s body in preparation for lactation later.

Sources of Calcium

A pregnant woman needs about 1000mg calcium daily to fulfill her calcium needs. In simpler terms this is equivalent to four servings of dairy products.

• The best source of calcium is milk—Milk, yoghurt, curd, buttermilk and cheese. It is better to take skimmed milk as milk in general has too much fat.

• In case of lactose intolerance, soy milk and tofu are good substitutes with a high content of calcium.

• Legumes and kidney beans also contain calcium.

• Leafy green vegetables such as broccoli, cabbage, amaranth, fenugreek, spinach all are rich in calcium. Calcium in spinach is not easily absorbed, the same amount of broccoli yields higher calcium.

• Nuts and seeds like sesame seeds and almonds also provide calcium

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• Calcium fortified foods like breakfast cereals, orange juice and bread can also supply some calcium.

• Sardines and salmon with bones are a good option for non vegetarians.

• Plain water or bottled mineral water also contains calcium. Filtered water has just trace amounts.

Role of Vitamin D

Vitamin D is essential for the absorption of calcium. Unfortunately there are very limited food sources of vitamin D. You can get a little amount from salmon, mackerel and egg yolk, but there are hardly any vegetarian sources of vitamin D. However, your requirement for vitamin D can be fulfilled by just a 20 minute exposure to sunlight. Our skin is able to synthesize vitamin D from sunlight.

Supplements

Considering the strong impact that calcium has on an expectant mother, obstetricians often prescribe calcium supplements. It is better to follow your doctor’s advice about when to start and till when to continue. Yet some things should be kept in mind.

• The body absorbs only 500mg of calcium at a time. Therefore, it is better to take it in small doses several times in the day.

• Excessive calcium has its own drawbacks. It can cause constipation, hamper absorption of other minerals and can even increase the chances of kidney stones.

• There are mainly two types of calcium supplements which are prescribed, calcium carbonate and calcium citrate. Calcium citrate is easily absorbed by the body and can be taken with or without food on an empty stomach.

• Calcium carbonate should be taken only with food as it requires stomach acid to be absorbed.

Make sure you take sufficient amount of calcium during pregnancy so that both you and the baby can get the health benefits of it.