Vitamin C During Pregnancy

Contents:

• The Use of Ascorbic Acid During Pregnancy
• Foods, Containing Vitamin C
• Ascorbic Acid During Pregnancy: Precautions

Vitamin C and Pregnancy

Vitamin C or ascorbic acid is one of the important and necessary vitamins for the human body. It helps the formation of bones, cartilages and blood vessels walls. After all, this vitamin is actively involved in the formation of collagen and elastin. It accelerates wound healing and tissue repair. The lack of vitamin C causes the disease called scurvy.

The Use of Ascorbic Acid During Pregnancy

The pregnancy is a very special period of every woman’s life. At this time, she should treat her own health and the health of her unborn baby with particular care. During this very period she needs the right amount of vitamin C in her organism.

After all, it affects to several factors at once:

• the expectant mother’s health;
• the proper development of the fetus;
• the cosmetic defects removal.

First of all, the normal amount of vitamin C in the pregnant woman’s body prevents appearance of problems with musculoskeletal system, which in this period is exposed to greater than usual stress. The use of ascorbic acid is to strengthen the blood vessels, it promotes the rapid wounds healing and reduces the risk of capillaries rupture.

It eliminates gums bleeding, with its help the number of subcutaneous hemorrhages reduces, the amount of blood in case of various injuries decreases. Vitamin C helps a pregnant woman’s body to cope with varicose veins; it prevents cholesterol deposition and removes harmful substances from the organism. Ascorbic acid is also useful for bowel problems.

Another useful property of vitamin C is its ability to prevent anemia. This complication is very common during pregnancy. In addition, the ascorbic acid reduces the risk of seasonal and viral diseases. It can be taken even in the first trimester of pregnancy, when treatment with other drugs is undesirable or even prohibited.

The ascorbic acid affects the proper development of the fetus. With its help, the baby’s tissues are formed. It promotes normal iron absorption. The normal amount of ascorbic acid in the organism increases the strength of the vessels. This also applies to the vessels of the placenta, which improves the oxygen flow to the fetus and reduces the risk of placental abruption.

From a cosmetic point of view, the ascorbic acid affects the formation of stretch marks. It makes the skin more elastic, reducing the number of stretch marks and promotes their disappearance after birth. Of course, the presence of stretch marks does not affect the health of the woman or the fetus at all, but their look always troubles every lady. To this, vitamin C strengthens the nails and hair.

Foods, Containing Vitamin C

Many foods contain ascorbic acid. It can be vegetables, fruits and herbs and foods of animal origin as well. As we know, the proper diet improves health and well-being of pregnant women. Products rich in vitamin C are not only useful but also delicious. There is no need to spend a lot of time to find them, because they are very common. Making the right products list is enough.

The products containing vitamin C can be divided into several groups:

• fruit. These are, of course, citrus fruits, such as orange, tangerine, lemon. To this, the ascorbic acid is contained in apples, persimmons, apricots, peaches and berries, such as sea buckthorn, strawberries, and black currant. They may be used both fresh and in the form of juices and compotes;
• vegetables. These are tomato, pepper, new potatoes, beets. The cabbage is especially rich in vitamin C, that is especially useful in the fermented form;
• the product of animal origin. These can be both meat and fish. They have enough vitamin C to replenish the daily norm, so you can choose the product you like;
• greenery. These mainly include parsley, which can be added to salads, and sorrel;
• briar. It is brewed and consumed as a tea. It tastes especially good with honey.

If the doctor sees a lack of vitamin C, or its amount needs to be increased quickly, he may prescribe certain vitamin C containing drugs. They may be in the form of pills or dragees containing only ascorbic acid, or vitamin C in combination with other nutrients and vitamins. Often, such drugs contain iron. In some cases the ascorbic acid may be administered intravenously.

Ascorbic Acid During Pregnancy: Precautions

Despite the obvious benefits of vitamin C, there may be contraindications to increase the vitamin C amount. First of all, it is the tendency to form blood clots, especially such illness as thrombophlebitis.

Another side effect of ascorbic acid is the disturbance of insulin production, the presence of sugar in urine and glycogen synthesis inhibition. The diet that is rich in ascorbic acid has a positive effect on women's health. Its use, in some cases even more than normal, improves the health and prevents the development of diseases.

Video: Vitamin C Deficiencies During Pregnancy