The most important vitamins for pregnancy are:
Folic acid – in pregnancy folic acid reduces the risk of neural tube defects
Vitamin D3 - during pregnancy it is recommended that 10mcg of vitamin D3 is taken daily especially during September and march in the UK where sunlight hours are at their lowest. Most vitamin D3 is sourced from sheep’s wool. During a vegan pregnancy, ensure that your vitamin D3 source is from a plant-based source like lichen. Other sources include eggs, red meat and fish. Vitamin D helps regulate calcium and phosphate in the body, which are needed for healthy bones, teeth and hair.
Iron – low iron will lead to tiredness and exhaustion. It is important to monitor this during pregnancy. Iron can be obtained from food like fresh leafy vegetables.
Vitamin C – vitamin C helps support the immune system during pregnancy and can be obtained from fresh fruit and vegetables.
Calcium – calcium is really important for your babies growing bones and teeth. Some foods high in calcium include milk, yogurt and soya milk with added calcium.
The above vitamins are just 5 of the most essential and well research vitamins in pregnancy. It is also important to achieve all the other recommended daily vitamin and mineral nutrients as part of a balanced and healthy diet. Omega 3 although not a vitamin is an essential amino acid that is required during pregnancy in increased levels, but we will talk more about this further down in this article.
During a vegan pregnancy it is also important to consider vitamin B12 and an algal oil form of DHA and EPA. This is because it is extra difficult to obtain these in a vegan diet during pregnancy. Algae oil provides the same omega-3 benefits as fish oil and is a great vegan alternative.