Vitamins, Caffeine and

Pregnancy

Fifty percent of birth defects can be eliminated if women take prenatal vitamins before pregnancy. The amount of folic acid required to grow a healthy baby cannot be obtained by diet alone. Preparing for pregnancy is no longer a luxury but a necessity to help insure the healthiest mother and baby possible. Many women are already 4-6 weeks pregnant before they realize they have started a new life. By taking vitamins beginning three months before beginning attempts to get pregnant you assure your baby a healthy start in life. Proper nutrition is also important both before and during the pregnancy.

Many claims have been made about nutrition, caffeine and pregnancy. Multiple studies have been done that document caffeine intake, in moderation, during pregnancy is NOT harmful to the growing fetus. Caffeine intake, when kept to 2-3 cups of coffee per day, does not have any deleterious effect. It does become bad for Mom and Baby when caffeine is used as a substitute for food. A growing baby needs to have a certain number of calories to grow into a healthy baby. Complete dietary details are available in the office and we will be happy to go over them with you. You can also find a healthy pregnancy diet in the book The Family Pregnancy, available at bookstores everywhere. If the book is not on the shelves, please ask the store to order it for you.

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